Efficient estimation of resonant coupling between quantum systems.

We present an efficient method for the characterization of two coupled discrete quantum systems, one of which can be controlled and measured. For two systems with transition frequencies ωq, ωr, and coupling strength g we show how to obtain estimates of g and ωr whose error decreases exponentially in the number of measurement shots rather than as a power law expected in simple approaches. Our algorithm can thereby identify g and ωr simultaneously with high precision in a few hundred measurement shots.

Are "pinholes" the cause of excess current in superconducting tunnel junctions? A study of Andreev current in highly resistive junctions.

In highly resistive superconducting tunnel junctions, excess subgap current is usually observed and is often attributed to microscopic pinholes in the tunnel barrier. We have studied the subgap current in superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) and superconductor-insulator-normal-metal (SIN) junctions. In Al/AlO(x)/Al junctions, we observed a decrease of 2 orders of magnitude in the current upon the transition from the SIS to the SIN regime, where it then matched theory.