Georgios Katsaros (IST Austria): Semiconductor nanodevices: From basic physics to quantum information

It is impossible to picture modern life without thinking of the vast amount ofmicroelectronic applications that surround us. However, such development has onlybeen made possible with the invention of the transistor in 1947. This, back at thattime few centimeters large device, led to a technological revolution. Today the size ofthe transistors is less than 14 nm. At such length scales quantum physics comes intoplay and while this poses a limitation for the classical semiconductor computer, forfundamental physics it represents an amazing challenge. Can semiconductor devicesstill play a role in the future of computing while moving into the quantum era? In thistalk I will discuss the potential of nanoscale semiconductor devices on the pathtowards a universal quantum computer, covering aspects ranging from basic physicsto quantum bits.