Atomic and Molecular Adsorption on Superconducting Pb as Basis for the Realization of Qubits

Just as bits are the basic unit for conventional computers, qubits are the basic unit for quantum computers. They are expected to model quantum mechanical systems such as large molecules, unfeasible with today's computational resources. This thesis presents measurements regarding to two platforms, which are seen as suitable for their implementation: Majorana bound states (MBS) in topological superconductors and quantum dots (QDs).
As a basis for both approaches, atomic and molecular adsorption on superconducting Pb surfaces is investigated with the use of scanning probe methods (SPM). Since promising results for atomic Fe chains on Pb surfaces have already indicated the existence of an MBS, it is the aim of this thesis, to gain further knowledge about the adsorption of CO, NaCl and Fe on Pb surfaces. This might be relevant for future experiments to perform high-resolution imaging or to build atomic chains by moving single atoms in a controlled way over the surface.
A second aim of this thesis is to investigate 2D molecular layers, self-assembled on Pb, which show strong evidence for the confinement of electrons. Hence, they act as single-electron transistors and can be seen as molecular QDs. In summary, the measurements in this thesis draw attention on the high potential that Pb might offer for the realization of qubits.