Konrad Lehnert

Post doctoral associate
Yale Applied Physics

Office: Becton Center, Room 429
Lab: Becton Center, Room 426
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut

Office phone: (203) 432-2499
Lab phone: (203) 436-0453
Fax: (203) 432-4283

konrad.lehnert@yale.edu

Current Research

My work examines the quantum properties of the single Cooper-pair box. This device is a nanometer scale aluminum island onto which single Cooper-pairs (pairs of electrons) can tunnel through an insulating barrier. Appropriately designed and cooled below 0.2 Kelvin, this device behaves as quantum two-level system whose Hamiltonian can be controlled by the voltage on a wire. The RF-SET provides a way to measure the quantum state of the Cooper-pair box rapidly and with good signal to noise.

Because the Cooper-pair box is a controllable, measurable and scalable quantum two-level system it is a promising candidate quantum bit, or qubit, the building block of a quantum computer. My goal is to understand the influence of the environment and the RF-SET on the state of the Cooper-pair box.

View the slides from my recent talk.

Previous Employment and Education

I received a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of California at Santa Barbara in June 1999. I was a graduate student in Jim Allen's group. I still have an old home page at UC Santa Barbara, which includes a description of my graduate work.

My undergraduate degree is also in Physics, conferred with honors in May 1993 by Harvey Mudd College .

Before entering graduate school I worked as an RF-analog design engineer at Pacific Communication Sciences Inc., a wireless telecommunications firm in San Diego. After several incarnations, PCSI is now Conexant.

View my Curriculum vitae.

Besides Physics and Engineering?

In college I ran cross country. I'm remain an avid runner and race occasionally, chondromalacia patella permitting.

In winter, I enjoy the occasional Scottish shower. My friends Dan and Mark both maintain nice sites which document our rock and ice climbing trips in Colorado and California.

Contact Information

Last Modified: 9-October-01