Gating a semiconductor layer into a quantum spin hall insulator state

A method comprising:

• providing a first quantum spin Hall (QSH) region comprising a first set of superconducting islands;
• and
• providing a second QSH region, different from the first QSH region, comprising a second set of superconducting islands, different from the first set of superconducting islands, wherein respective superconducting islands in the first set of superconducting islands and the second set of superconducting islands are separated from each other using tunable barriers, and wherein each of the first set of superconducting conducting islands and each of the second set of superconducting islands includes at least one device comprising;
• a semiconductor layer comprising an active material, and
• a gate coupled to the semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer is operable in a quantum spin Hall insulator state by using electrons and holes from the active material in response to an application of an electric field to the semiconductor layer via the gate.

A system comprising:

• a first quantum spin Hall (QSH) region comprising a first set of superconducting islands;
• and
• a second QSH region, different from the first QSH region comprising a second set of superconducting islands, different from the first set of superconducting islands, wherein respective superconducting islands in the first set of superconducting islands and the second set of superconducting islands are separated from each other using tunable barriers, and wherein each of the first set of superconducting islands and each of the second set of superconducting islands includes at least one device comprising:
• a semiconductor layer comprising an active material,
• a first dielectric layer formed adjacent to a first surface of the semiconductor layer,
• a first gate formed adjacent to the first dielectric layer,
• a second dielectric layer formed adjacent to a second surface, opposite to the first surface, of the semiconductor layer, and
• a second gate formed adjacent to the second dielectric layer, wherein the first gate and the second gate are operable to couple a voltage to the semiconductor layer such that the semiconductor layer is operable in a quantum spin Hall insulator state by using electrons and holes from the active material in response to an application of an electric field to the semiconductor layer, perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface.