Chris Palmstrøm's lab does materials growth: specifically, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) of atomically precise semiconductor and superconductor heterostructures. The group grows everything from III-V semiconductors like GaAs, InAs, and InSb to epitaxial superconductors like Al, Nb, and Ta, and interfaces them together with atomic-scale precision. Their signature platform pairs InAs and InSb nanowires or quantum wells with epitaxial aluminum to host Majorana zero modes, the same underlying physics behind Microsoft's “Majorana 1” topological quantum processor, whose semiconductor heterostructures Chris Palmstrøm's group supplied.

The overlap with our own mission is clear; both labs are aiming the same goal, a fault-tolerant, topologically protected qubit, by way of complementary material platforms. Where the Palmstrøm group works the electron side of the problem (InAs/InSb 2DEGs and nanowires against superconducting Al), our lab works the hole side (Ge/SiGe quantum wells). That shared goal is exactly why several Palmstrøm lab members actively work alongside us, contributing everything from fabrication expertise to hands-on device work, introduced below.

What we're ultimately after is a scalable route to fault-tolerant quantum computing built on robust, reproducible semiconductor-superconductor hybrid devices: material systems clean and controllable enough that the exotic physics of Majorana zero modes and non-Abelian statistics can be reliably harnessed for actual qubit logic, rather than observed once under exactly the right conditions. Getting there on either material platform means solving the same unglamorous problems: cleaner interfaces, fewer charge traps, better gates, which is exactly why collaboration and teamwork is key.

Chris invited our lab to their barbecue that was held in Goleta Beach park, where new members were able to get to know each other, and also have a decompressing afternoon. Thank you Chris for an amazing barbecue and relaxing afternoon, and I hope everyone enjoyed the Polish sausages!