Microscopic Two-level System Research Articles

Enhanced coherence of all-nitride superconducting qubits epitaxially grown on silicon substrate

Improving the coherence of superconducting qubits is a fundamental step towards the realization of fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, coherence times of quantum circuits made from conventional aluminum-based Josephson junctions are limited by the presence of microscopic two-level systems in the amorphous aluminum oxide tunnel barriers. Here, we have developed superconducting qubits based on NbN/AlN/NbN epitaxial Josephson junctions on silicon substrates which promise to overcome the drawbacks of qubits based on Al/AlOx/Al junctions. The all-nitride qubits have great advantages such as chemical stability against oxidation, resulting in fewer two-level fluctuators, feasibility for epitaxial tunnel barriers that reduce energy relaxation and dephasing, and a larger superconducting gap of ~5.2 meV for NbN, compared to ~0.3 meV for aluminum, which suppresses the excitation of quasiparticles. By replacing conventional MgO by a silicon substrate with a TiN buffer layer for epitaxial growth of nitride junctions, we demonstrate a qubit energy relaxation time {T}_{1}=16.3;{{upmu }}{{{{{rm{s}}}}}} and a spin-echo dephasing time {T}_{2}=21.5;{{upmu }}{{{{{rm{s}}}}}}. These significant improvements in quantum coherence are explained by the reduced dielectric loss compared to the previously reported {T}_{1}approx {T}_{2}approx 0.5;{{upmu }}{{{{{rm{s}}}}}} of NbN-based qubits on MgO substrates. These results are an important step towards constructing a new platform for superconducting quantum hardware.

Acoustic spectral hole-burning in a two-level system ensemble

Microscopic two-level system (TLS) defects at dielectric surfaces and interfaces are among the dominant sources of loss in superconducting quantum circuits, and their properties have been extensively probed using superconducting resonators and qubits. We report on spectroscopy of TLSs coupling to the strain field in a surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator. The narrow free spectral range of the resonator allows for two-tone spectroscopy where a strong pump is applied at one resonance, while a weak signal is used to probe a different mode. We map the spectral hole burnt by the pump tone as a function of frequency and extract parameters of the TLS ensemble. Our results suggest that detuned acoustic pumping can be used to enhance the coherence of superconducting devices by saturating TLSs.

Correlating Decoherence in Transmon Qubits: Low Frequency Noise by Single Fluctuators.

We report on long-term measurements of a highly coherent, nontunable superconducting transmon qubit, revealing low-frequency burst noise in coherence times and qubit transition frequency. We achieve this through a simultaneous measurement of the qubit's relaxation and dephasing rate as well as its resonance frequency. The analysis of correlations between these parameters yields information about the microscopic origin of the intrinsic decoherence mechanisms in Josephson qubits. Our results are consistent with a small number of microscopic two-level systems located at the edges of the superconducting film, which is further confirmed by a spectral noise analysis.

Analysis of high quality superconducting resonators: consequences for TLS properties in amorphous oxides

noise caused by microscopic two-level systems (TLS) is known to be very detrimental to the performance of superconducting quantum devices but the nature of these TLS is still poorly understood. Recent experiments with superconducting resonators indicates that interaction between TLS in the oxide at the film-substrate interface is not negligible. Here we present data on the loss and frequency noise from two different Nb resonators with and without Pt capping and discuss what conclusions can be drawn regarding the properties of TLS in amorphous oxides. We also estimate the concentration and dipole moment of the TLS.

Rapid characterization of microscopic two-level systems using Landau-Zener transitions in a superconducting qubit

We demonstrate a fast method to detect microscopic two-level systems in a superconducting phase qubit. By monitoring the population leak after sweeping the qubit bias flux, we are able to measure the two-level systems that are coupled with the qubit. Compared with the traditional method that detects two-level systems by energy spectroscopy, our method is faster and more sensitive. This method supplies a useful tool to investigate two-level systems in solid-state qubits.

Spectrum of a superconducting phase qubit coupled to a microscopic two-level system

We measured experimentally the spectrum of a superconducting phase qubit. An avoided energy-level crossing is obviously observed, which is due to the coupling to a microscopic two-level system. With different theoretical methods, we simulated the spectrum, from which we can obtain the coupled system’s parameters and the coupling mechanism.

Dynamics of a qubit—TLS system under resonant microwave driving

We demonstrate the effect of different coupling strengths between a microscopic two-level system (TLS) and a microwave field on the dynamics of a qubit—TLS system when the bipartite system is subject to resonant microwave driving. Rabi beating with a different TLS-microwave coupling strength is demonstrated in simulations. Entanglement, quantified by the concurrence between the qubit and TLS, both for pure states and mixed states, is simulated. When decoherence is considered, entanglement of the bipartite system oscillates with damping and exhibits entanglement sudden death and/or entanglement sudden death and revival.

Entanglement dynamics of a superconducting phase qubit coupled to a two-level system

We report the observation and quantitative characterization of driven and spontaneous oscillations of quantum entanglement, as measured by concurrence, in a bipartite system consisting of a macroscopic Josephson phase qubit coupled to a microscopic two-level system. The data clearly show the behavior of entanglement dynamics such as sudden death and revival, and the effect of decoherence and ac driving on entanglement.

Dynamical Decoupling and Dephasing in Interacting Two-Level Systems

We implement dynamical decoupling techniques to mitigate noise and enhance the lifetime of an entangled state that is formed in a superconducting flux qubit coupled to a microscopic two-level system. By rapidly changing the qubit's transition frequency relative to the two-level system, we realize a refocusing pulse that reduces dephasing due to fluctuations in the transition frequencies, thereby improving the coherence time of the entangled state. The coupling coherence is further enhanced when applying multiple refocusing pulses, in agreement with our 1/f noise model. The results are applicable to any two-qubit system with transverse coupling and they highlight the potential of decoupling techniques for improving two-qubit gate fidelities, an essential prerequisite for implementing fault-tolerant quantum computing.

Coupling mechanism between microscopic two-level system and superconducting qubits

We propose a scheme to clarify the coupling nature between superconducting Josephson qubits andmicroscopic two-level systems. Although dominant interest in studying two-level systems was in phase qubits previously, we find that the sensitivity of the generally used spectral method in phase qubits is not sufficient to evaluate the exact form of the coupling. On the contrary, our numerical calculation shows that the coupling strength changes remarkably with the flux bias for a flux qubit, providing a useful tool to investigate the coupling mechanism between the two-level systems and qubits.

Effect of metal/substrate interfaces on radio-frequency loss in superconducting coplanar waveguides

Microscopic two-level systems (TLSs) are known to contribute to loss in resonant superconducting microwave circuits. This loss increases at low power and temperatures as the TLSs become unsaturated. We find that the loss is dependent on both the substrate-superconductor interface and the roughness of the surfaces. A native, oxide-free interface reduced the loss due to TLSs. However, a rough surface in the CPW gap did not cause more TLS loss, but the overall loss was significantly increased for the roughest surfaces.

Quantum dynamics of a microwave driven superconducting phase qubit coupled to a two-level system

We present an analytical and comprehensive description of the quantum dynamics of a microwave resonantly driven superconducting phase qubit coupled to a microscopic two-level system (TLS), covering a wide range of the external microwave field strength. Our model predicts several interesting phenomena in such an ac driven four-level bipartite system including anomalous Rabi oscillations, high-contrast beatings of Rabi oscillations, and extraordinary two-photon transitions. Our experimental results in a coupled qubit-TLS system agree quantitatively very well with the predictions of the theoretical model.

Tunable quantum beam splitters for coherent manipulation of a solid-state tripartite qubit system

Coherent control of quantum states is at the heart of implementing solid-state quantum processors and testing quantum mechanics at the macroscopic level. Despite significant progress made in recent years in controlling single- and bi-partite quantum systems, coherent control of quantum wave function in multipartite systems involving artificial solid-state qubits has been hampered due to the relatively short decoherence time and lack of precise control methods. Here we report the creation and coherent manipulation of quantum states in a tripartite quantum system, which is formed by a superconducting qubit coupled to two microscopic two-level systems (TLSs). The avoided crossings in the system's energy-level spectrum due to the qubit–TLS interaction act as tunable quantum beam splitters of wave functions. Our result shows that the Landau–Zener–Stückelberg interference has great potential in precise control of the quantum states in the tripartite system.

Dark periods in Rabi oscillations of a superconducting phase qubit coupled to a microscopic two-level system

We proposed a scheme to demonstrate macroscopic quantum jumps in a superconducting phase qubit coupled to a microscopic two-level system in the Josephson tunnel junction. Irradiated with suitable microwaves, the Rabi oscillations of the qubit exhibit signatures of quantum jumps: a random telegraph signal with long intervals of intense macroscopic quantum tunneling events (bright periods) interrupted by the complete absence of tunneling events (dark periods). An analytical model was developed to describe the width of the dark periods quantitatively. The numerical simulations indicate that our analytical model captured underlying physics of the system. Besides calibrating the quality of the microscopic two-level system, our results have significance in quantum information process since dark periods in Rabi oscillations are also responsible for errors in quantum computing with superconducting qubits.

Erratum: Quantum Jumps between Macroscopic Quantum States of a Superconducting Qubit Coupled to a Microscopic Two-Level System [Phys. Rev. Lett.101, 157001 (2008)

Erratum: Quantum Jumps between Macroscopic Quantum States of a Superconducting Qubit Coupled to a Microscopic Two-Level System [Phys. Rev. Lett.<b>101</b>, 157001 (2008)

Quantum Jumps between Macroscopic Quantum States of a Superconducting Qubit Coupled to a Microscopic Two-Level System

We report the observation of quantum jumps between macroscopic quantum states in a superconducting phase qubit coupled to the two-level systems in the Josephson tunnel junction, and all key features of quantum jumps are confirmed in the experiments. Moreover, quantum jumps can be used to calibrate such two-level systems, which are believed to be one of the main decoherence sources in Josephson devices.

Decoherence in josephson phase qubits from junction resonators.

Although Josephson junction qubits show great promise for quantum computing, the origin of dominant decoherence mechanisms remains unknown. Improving the operation of a Josephson junction based phase qubit has revealed microscopic two-level systems or resonators within the tunnel barrier that cause decoherence. We report spectroscopic data that show a level splitting characteristic of coupling between a two-state qubit and a two-level system. Furthermore, we show Rabi oscillations whose "coherence amplitude" is significantly degraded by the presence of these spurious microwave resonators. The discovery of these resonators impacts the future of Josephson qubits as well as existing Josephson technologies.