Multi-level quantum noise spectroscopy.

System noise identification is crucial to the engineering of robust quantum systems. Although existing quantum noise spectroscopy (QNS) protocols measure an aggregate amount of noise affecting a quantum system, they generally cannot distinguish between the underlying processes that contribute to it. Here, we propose and experimentally validate a spin-locking-based QNS protocol that exploits the multi-level energy structure of a superconducting qubit to achieve two notable advances.

Waveguide quantum electrodynamics with superconducting artificial giant atoms.

Models of light-matter interactions in quantum electrodynamics typically invoke the dipole approximation, in which atoms are treated as point-like objects when compared to the wavelength of the electromagnetic modes with which they interact. However, when the ratio between the size of the atom and the mode wavelength is increased, the dipole approximation no longer holds and the atom is referred to as a 'giant atom'. So far, experimental studies with solid-state devices in the giant-atom regime have been limited to superconducting qubits that couple to short-wavelength surface acoustic waves, probing the properties of the atom at only a single frequency.

Coherent control of a hybrid superconducting circuit made with graphene-based van der Waals heterostructures.

Quantum coherence and control is foundational to the science and engineering of quantum systems. In van der Waals materials, the collective coherent behaviour of carriers has been probed successfully by transport measurements. However, temporal coherence and control, as exemplified by manipulating a single quantum degree of freedom, remains to be verified.

Distinguishing Coherent and Thermal Photon Noise in a Circuit Quantum Electrodynamical System.

In the cavity-QED architecture, photon number fluctuations from residual cavity photons cause qubit dephasing due to the ac Stark effect. These unwanted photons originate from a variety of sources, such as thermal radiation, leftover measurement photons, and cross talk. Using a capacitively shunted flux qubit coupled to a transmission line cavity, we demonstrate a method that identifies and distinguishes coherent and thermal photons based on noise-spectral reconstruction from time-domain spin-locking relaxometry.

Correlation between Al grain size, grain boundary grooves and local variations in oxide barrier thickness of Al/AlOx/Al tunnel junctions by transmission electron microscopy.

A thickness variation of only one Ångström makes a significant difference in the current through a tunnel junction due to the exponential thickness dependence of the current. It is thus important to achieve a uniform thickness along the barrier to enhance, for example, the sensitivity and speed of single electron transistors based on the tunnel junctions. Here, we have observed that grooves at Al grain boundaries are associated with a local increase of tunnel barrier thickness.

Single-shot read-out of a superconducting qubit using a Josephson parametric oscillator.

We propose and demonstrate a read-out technique for a superconducting qubit by dispersively coupling it with a Josephson parametric oscillator. We employ a tunable quarter wavelength superconducting resonator and modulate its resonant frequency at twice its value with an amplitude surpassing the threshold for parametric instability. We map the qubit states onto two distinct states of classical parametric oscillation: one oscillating state, with 185±15 photons in the resonator, and one with zero oscillation amplitude.