Nano Lett. 25, 6429 (2025)
Twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) near the magic angle is a unique platform where the combination of topology and strong correlations gives rise to exotic electronic phases. These phases are gate-tunable and related to the presence of flat electronic bands, isolated by single-particle band gaps. This enables gate-controlled charge confinements, essential for the operation of single-electron transistors (SETs), and allows one to explore the interplay of confinement, electron interactions, band renormalization, and the moiré superlattice, potentially revealing key paradigms of strong correlations. Here, we present gate-defined SETs in tBLG with well-tunable Coulomb blockade resonances. These SETs allow us to study magnetic field-induced quantum oscillations in the density of states of the source-drain reservoirs, providing insight into gate-tunable Fermi surfaces of tBLG. Comparison with tight-binding calculations highlights the importance of displacement-field-induced band renormalization crucial for future advanced gate-tunable quantum devices and circuits in tBLG including, e.g., quantum dots and Josephson junction arrays.

Nat. rev. electr. eng. 2, 277 (2025)
Universal cryogenic computing, encompassing von Neumann, neuromorphic and quantum computing, paves the way for future big-data processing with high energy efficiency. Complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology operating at cryogenic temperatures with ultra-low power consumption is a key component of this advancement. However, classical CMOS technology, designed for room temperature applications, suffers from band-tail effects at cryogenic levels, leading to an increased subthreshold swing and decreased mobility values. In addition, threshold voltages are enlarged. Thus, classical CMOS technology fails to meet the low power requirements when cooled close to zero Kelvin. In this Perspective, we show that steep slope cryogenic devices can be realized by screening the band tails with the use of high-k dielectrics and wrap-gate architectures and/or reducing them through the optimization of the surfaces and interfaces within the transistors. Cryogenic device functionality also strongly benefits from appropriate source/drain engineering employing dopant segregation from silicides. Furthermore, the threshold voltage control can be realized with back-gating, work-function engineering and dipole formation. As a major implication, future research and development towards cryogenic CMOS technology requires a combination of these approaches to enable universal cryogenic computing at the necessary ultra-low power levels.

The Söllerhaus-Workshop 2025 from the 15th to the 22nd of March of the 2nd Institute of Physics A , B and C focusing on interesting (partly cross-sectional) topics was great fun with many interesting talks and discussions, good skiing and slippery snow hiking with torches.

Alexander Rothstein won one of the three poster prizes at the IWEPNM Winterschool in Kirchberg with his poster on "Gate-tunable Josephson diods in magic angle twisted bilayer graphene". Congratulations!

On Tuesday 25.02.2025, Timo Bißwanger successfully defended his PhD thesis. Congratulations to Dr. Timo Bißwanger on this fantastic accomplishment!

Christoph Stampfer had the opportunity to share more about our institute's experience with LLMs in physics teaching, especially with LandauAI (many thanks to Jan-Lucas Uslu) at the annual workshop of the "Studiendekan*innen" of RWTH Aachen University at Burg Obbendorf in Niederzier.