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Microwave superconducting quantum circuits are strongly affected by various defects that are unavoidable during the production process. This paper presents a new method for measuring losses in an open transmission line. This line interacts through a capacitive coupling with a coplanar quarter-wavelength resonator, which is used to study losses therein. The authors have investigated the dependencies of losses on power and temperature (in the millikelvin range). It has been shown that major losses in a transmission line are due to the interaction of a microwave field with defects which are effectively described by two-level systems.Microwave superconducting quantum circuits are strongly affected by various defects that are unavoidable during the production process. This paper presents a new method for measuring losses in an open transmission line. This line interacts through a capacitive coupling with a coplanar quarter-wavelength resonator, which is used to study losses therein. The authors have investigated the dependencies of losses on power and temperature (in the millikelvin range). It has been shown that major losses in a transmission line are due to the interaction of a microwave field with defects which are effectively described by two-level systems.

Waveguides with superconducting Josephson junction-based metamaterial are widely used as parametric amplifiers. However, the precise estimation of power entering the device is crucial for the estimation of gain and noise temperature. This is nontrivial when the measurement tract is not symmetrical. We present a basic framework for the analysis of properties of such nonlinear systems and calibration of the input power. Utilizing measurements with varied temperature and power of the input signal, we estimate additional attenuation of the input line. We demonstrate a precise calibration procedure of a Josephson junction metamaterial.

The integration, scale-up, and multiplexing arrays of superconducting qubits in quantum circuits are the main challenges of superconducting quantum technology. Here we experimentally investigate the solid-state qubit multiplexing readout scheme, containing coplanar quarter-wavelength resonators coupled with a planar Xmon-type qubit, connected to a common coplanar transmission line. We find that the qubit energy spectrum is modified in the presence of an additional exciting signal at the fundamental frequency of the neighboring resonators. We attribute the origin of this effect to the electromagnetic field propagating through the common ground plane, which changes the qubit's characteristics. Our finding may be useful for the development of scalable superconducting quantum integrated circuits with arrays of multiplexed or coupled qubits for applications in superconducting quantum processing and computing.

A broadband low-noise four-stage high-electron-mobility transistor amplifier was designed and characterized in a cryogen-free dilution refrigerator at the 3.8 K temperature stage. The obtained power dissipation of the amplifier is below 20 mW. In the frequency range from 6 to 12 GHz its gain exceeds 30 dB. The equivalent noise temperature of the amplifier is below 6 K for the presented frequency range. The amplifier is applicable for any type of cryogenic microwave measurements. As an example we demonstrate here the characterization of the superconducting X-mon qubit coupled to an on-chip coplanar waveguide resonator.

We demonstrate that the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian approach can be used as a universal tool to design and describe a performance of single photon quantum electrodynamical circuits (cQED). As an example of the validity of this method, we calculate a novel six port quantum router, constructed from four qubits and three open waveguides. We have obtained analytical expressions, which describe the transmission and reflection coefficients of a single photon in general form taking into account the spread qubit&rsquo, s parameters. We show that, due to naturally derived interferences, in situ tuning the probability of photon detection in desired ports.

In a continuous measurement scheme a spin-1/2 particle can be measured and simultaneously driven by an external resonant signal. When the driving is weak, it does not prevent the particle wave-function from collapsing and a detector randomly outputs two responses corresponding to the states of the particle. In contrast, when driving is strong, the detector returns a single response corresponding to the mean of the two single-state responses. This situation is similar to a motional averaging, observed in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We study such quantum system, being periodically driven and probed, which consists of a qubit coupled to a quantum resonator. It is demonstrated that the transmission through the resonator is defined by the interplay between driving strength, qubit dissipation, and resonator linewidth. We demonstrate that our experimental results are in good agreement with numerical and analytical calculations., 7 pages, 4 figues

Current-biased Josephson junctions are promising candidates for the detection of single photons in the microwave frequency domain. With modern fabrication technologies, the switching properties of the junction can be adjusted to achieve quantum limited sensitivity. Namely, the width of the switching current distribution can be reduced well below the current amplitude produced by a single photon trapped inside a superconducting cavity. However, for an effective detection a strong junction cavity coupling is required, providing nonlinear system dynamics. We compare experimental findings for our prototype device with a theoretical analysis aimed to describe the switching dynamics of junctions under microwave irradiation. Measurements are found in qualitative agreement with our simulations.

The Josephson junction as a switching detector of weak signals is investigated in presence of noise in the frame of rotating pendulum model. The parameter range, where the detection can be more efficient, is found. It has been demonstrated, that with decrease of the signal power the double minima of the mean switching time and the standard deviation are transformed into a single minimum, which corresponds to interplay between noise suppression and resonant activation regimes. The resonant nature of escape allows to detect weak signals, whose amplitudes are weaker than the difference between critical current and bias current of a Josephson junction. With decrease of damping an efficient detection becomes possible even at subharmonics of the resonance frequency.

Technological processes for the fabrication of low- and high- Tc Josephson junctions, aimed for certain applications, are described. On the one hand, the integration of low- Tc superconductor digital electronics with superconducting sensor arrays enables input signal processing with quantum limited resolution at millikelvin temperatures. We describe this mixed signal superconductor technology for analogue sensor readout and signal multiplexing for operating temperatures down to 300 mK. On the other hand, by making use of modern high- Tc Josephson junction technology, sensitive magnetometers, which require a modest cooling power, can be developed. Examples of the application of the mentioned processes are shown.

This paper reports on the results of the investigation of a superconducting flux quantum bit (qubit) in the quasi-dispersive regime, where the frequency of a probe signal even though is lower than, but, nevertheless, close to the excitation frequency of the qubit. In this regime, in contrast to the known experiments, the interaction of the qubit with a waveguide leads not only to a shift of the resonance frequency, which is characteristic of the dispersive regime, but also to a significant broadening of the resonance line due to the spontaneous emission of the qubit. On the basis of the analysis of the amplitude–frequency characteristic of the transmission signal, this makes it possible to determine, under single-frequency excitation, the characteristic parameters of the qubit inductively coupled to the coplanar resonator.

The possibility of the implementation of a single-photon detector in the microwave range has been discussed. It has been shown that, for these purposes, it is possible to use an unshunted Josephson junction, which is switched from the superconducting state into a finite-voltage state at the presence of an external signal. The sensitivity of this detector is determined by the distribution of switchings in the absence of an external signal. It has been demonstrated that there is a Josephson junction with a noise temperature below 60 mK at a nominal external temperature of 10 mK. A specific detector intended for the measurement of external microwave signals has been proposed, designed, and fabricated. The first experimental results have been presented.

A low-noise cryogenic amplifier for the measurement of weak microwave signals at sub-Kelvin temperatures is constructed. The amplifier has five stages based on SiGe bipolar heterostructure transistors and has a gain factor of 35 dB in the frequency band from 100 MHz to 4 GHz at an operating temperature of 800 mK. The parameters of a superconducting quantum bit measured with this amplifier in the ultralow-power mode are presented as an application example. The amplitude–frequency response of the “supercon-ducting qubit–coplanar cavity” structure is demonstrated. The ground state of the qubit is characterized in the quasi-dispersive measurement mode.

The properties of a superconducting flux quantum bit (qubit) in the quasidispersive mode, where the frequency of a probe signal is lower than the qubit excitation frequency but is close to it, have been experimentally studied. It has been shown that all parameters of the qubit inductively coupled to a coplanar resonator can be determined at the single-frequency excitation from the analysis of the frequency responses of the transmission of the probe signal at the output of this resonator. Under the additional excitation of the qubit by the signal at the second harmonic of the cavity, resonance dips have been observed because of resonance between the probe signal and induced Rabi splitting. It has been shown that the positions of these dips are in good agreement with the parameters of the qubit that are obtained by analyzing the amplitude–frequency response within the width of the fundamental resonance frequency.

We study the influence of a strong off-resonant driving signal to the energy levels of a superconducting flux qubit both experimentally and theoretically. In the experiment, we carry out a three-tone spectroscopy. This allows us to directly observe the modification of the qubit's energy levels by the dynamical Stark shift caused by the driving signal. A theoretical treatment including corrections from both, rotating and counter-rotating frame, allowed us to completely explain the observed experimental results and to reconstruct the influence of the strong driving to the dissipative dynamics as well as to the coupling constants of the qubit. As one potential application, the tunability of the minimal energy-level splitting of a superconducting qubit by a microwave induced dynamical Stark shift can help to overcome the parameter spread induced by the micro fabrication of superconducting artificial quantum circuits., 23 pages, 4 figures

This chapter is devoted to special realizations of lasing on single artificial atoms. It is demonstrated that special properties of quantum systems, implemented as an electrical circuit, may be explored to repeat original quantum optic experiments and extend them to new regimes. As we will discuss, this can, for example, lead to the realizations of lasing that only requires two states of the artificial atom. There we make use of the relaxation and of special coupling properties that naturally are achieved in the field of the circuit quantum electrodynamics.

We have constructed a microwave detector based on the voltage switching of an underdamped Josephson junction, that is positioned at a current antinode of a {\lambda}/4 coplanar waveguide resonator. By measuring the switching current and the transmission through a waveguide capacitively coupled to the resonator at different drive frequencies and temperatures we are able to fully characterize the system and assess its detection efficiency and sensitivity. Testing the detector by applying a classical microwave field with the strength of a single photon yielded a sensitivity parameter of 0.5 in qualitative agreement with theoretical calculations., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

We present two possible methods for the fabrication of sub-micron sized Josephson junctions, namely the shadow-evaporation technique and the cross-type technology. Their importance for the field of modern super-conducting technology is discussed. As examples we present measurement results of a two-qubit sample and a prototype of a microwave detector fabricated each by one of the described methods. We review potential applications of superconducting quantum circuits based on the developed methods.

We present a design for the experimental integration of ion trapping and superconducting qubit systems as a step towards the realization of a quantum hybrid system. The scheme addresses two key difficulties in realizing such a system: a combined microfabricated ion trap and superconducting qubit architecture, and the experimental infrastructure to facilitate both technologies. Developing upon work by Kielpinski et al. (Phys Rev Lett 108(13):130504, 2012. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.130504), we describe the design, simulation and fabrication process for a microfabricated ion trap capable of coupling an ion to a superconducting microwave LC circuit with a coupling strength in the tens of kHz. We also describe existing difficulties in combining the experimental infrastructure of an ion trapping set-up into a dilution refrigerator with superconducting qubits and present solutions that can be immediately implemented using current technology.

Applications of up-to-date cryoelectronics, especially in quantum microwave engineering, require instruments that operating identically to an optical beam splitter. Using niobium technology for the application of thin film structures, we have fabricated a microwave signal power splitter with central frequency f0 = 7.2 GHz. We have demonstrated experimentally that, in the 1-GHz band around central frequency f0, the characteristics of the second and the third output ports are in the range of −3 ± 0.8 dB of the signal input power. The attenuation within power transfer from signal ports to the insulation port is 10 dB. The above-mentioned characteristics have been obtained at an operating temperature below the superconducting transition temperature.

We demonstrate amplification (and attenuation) of a probe signal by a driven two-level quantum system in the Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg-Majorana regime by means of an experiment, in which a superconducting qubit was strongly coupled to a microwave cavity, in a conventional arrangement of circuit quantum electrodynamics. Two different types of flux qubit, specifically a conventional Josephson junctions qubit and a phase-slip qubit, show similar results, namely, lasing at the working points where amplification takes place. The experimental data are explained by the interaction of the probe signal with Rabi-like oscillations. The latter are created by constructive interference of Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg-Majorana (LZSM) transitions during the driving period of the qubit. A detailed description of the occurrence of these oscillations and a comparison of obtained data with both analytic and numerical calculations are given.

In this review we summarize our recent experiments on the investigation on superconducting qubits. Instead of strong projective measurement used by other groups in their first pioneering experiments we have proposed and realized a weak continuous readout which belongs to the class of quantum non-demolition measurements. Moreover, our scheme enables to measure a superconducting qubit at the so called sweet (or magic) point where a qubit is in a superposition of two classical states and its sensitivity to external noise is minimized. In this scheme, which is widely used nowadays, the superconducting oscillator coupled to superconducting qubit is used as a detector of the qubit's state. Such system is analogue to a system of a single atom interacting with photons in a cavity, which allows to study quantum electrodynamics in artificial macroscopic systems. Pushing this analogy we demonstrate Sisyphus cooling and amplification caused by energy exchange between an oscillator and a flux qubit. Using the Sisyphus effect we show consistency between the adiabatic weak continuous measurement in the ground state and the spectroscopic measurement. This allows us to characterize the more complicated system of coupled qubits by making use of the same method. We have realized and studied fixed ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic as well as tunable qubit---qubit coupling. We argue that ground state measurements can be used for characterization of entangled states in coupled flux qubits.

Controllable adiabatic evolution of a multi-qubit system can be used for adiabatic quantum computation (AQC). This evolution ends at a configuration where the Hamiltonian of the system encodes the solution of the problem to be solved. As a first steps towards realization of AQC we have investigated two, three and four flux qubit systems. These systems were characterized by making use of a radio-frequency method. We designed two-qubit systems with coupling energies up to several kelvins. For the three-flux-qubit systems we determined the complete ground-state flux diagram in the three dimensional flux space around the qubits common degeneracy point. We show that the system`s Hamiltonian can be completely reconstructed from our measurements. Our concept for the implementation of AQC, by making use of flux qubits, is discussed., Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures, Applied Superconductivity Conference 2006

We define a set of $2^{n-1}-1$ entanglement monotones for $n$ qubits and give a single measure of entanglement in terms of these. This measure is zero except on globally entangled (fully inseparable) states. This measure is compared to the Meyer-Wallach measure for two, three, and four qubits. We determine the four-qubit state, symmetric under exchange of qubit labels, which maximizes this measure. It is also shown how the elementary monotones may be computed as a function of observable quantities. We compute the magnitude of our measure for the ground state of the four-qubit superconducting experimental system investigated in [M. Grajcar et al., Phys. Rev. Lett._96_, 047006 (2006)], and thus confirm the presence of global entanglement in the ground state., Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, REVTeX 4, v2 Minor errors corrected, three new references, expanded discussion of extension to mixed states

We study the dynamics of a qubit-resonator system, when the resonator is driven by two signals. The interaction of the qubit with the high-amplitude driving we consider in terms of the qubit dressed states. Interaction of the dressed qubit with the second probing signal can essentially change the amplitude of this signal. We calculate the transmission amplitude of the probe signal through the resonator as a function of the qubit's energy and the driving frequency detuning. The regions of increase and attenuation of the transmitted signal are calculated and demonstrated graphically. We present the influence of the signal parameters on the value of the amplification, and discuss the values of the qubit-resonator system parameters for an optimal amplification and attenuation of the weak probe signal., 7 pages, 8 figures

Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, P.O. Box 100239, D-07702 Jena, Germany andNovosibirsk State Technical University, 20 K. Marx Ave., 630092 Novosibirsk, Russia(Dated: January 8, 2015)We study the response of a magnetic- eld-driven superconducting qubit strongly coupled toa superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator. We observed a strong ampli cation/dampingof a probing signal at di erent resonance points corresponding to a one and two-photon emis-sion/absorption. The sign of the detuning between the qubit frequency and the probe determineswhether ampli cation or damping is observed. The larger blue detuned driving leads to two-photonlasing while the larger red detuning cools the resonator. Our experimental results are in goodagreement with the theoretical model of qubit lasing and cooling at the Rabi frequency.

The Josephson effect in ballistic point contacts between single-band and multi-band superconductors was investigated. It was found that in the case of Josephson junctions formed by a single-band and an $s_\pm$-wave two-band superconductor as well as by a single-band and a three-band superconductor the junctions become frustrated, demonstrating the $\phi$-contact properties. Depending on the ground state of a three-band superconductor with broken time-reversal symmetry (BTRS), the Josephson junction can have from one to three energy minima, some of which can be locally stable. We also study the behavior of a dc SQUID based on the Josephson junctions between single-band and multi-band superconductors. Some features on the dependences of the critical current and the total magnetic flux on the applied flux of a dc SQUID based on the Josephson point contacts between a single-band superconductor and an $s_\pm$-wave superconductor, three-band superconductor with BTRS and three-band superconductor without BTRS as compared to the conventional dc SQUIDs based on single-band superconductors were found. The results can be used as an experimental tool to detect the existence of multi-band structure and BTRS., Comment: 23 pages, 11 figures

The behavior of a dc SQUID, based on a dirty point contacts between a single-band and three-band superconductor with broken time-reversal symmetry is investigated. Using earlier obtained results for Josephson effects in such systems new features in characteristics of a dc SQUID are revealed. It is shown that in the case of a BTRS (broken time-reversal symmetry) three-band superconductor for the applied external magnetic flux, which is divisible by the half-integer flux, strong degeneracy of ground states of a dc SQUID is taken place. This can lead to the appearance of possible multi-hysteresis loops on a dependence of a total flux in the dc SQUID from the externally applied flux. The number of these loops depends on the position of ground states of a three-band superconductor. Also it is found that dependencies of a critical current on applied magnetic flux can have complicated multi-periodic forms, which are differ from strictly periodic characteristics for conventional dc SQUIDs and Fraunhofer patterns for Josephson contacts in the external magnetic field., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures

Aladin2 is an experiment devoted to the first measurement of variations of Casimir energy in a rigid cavity. The main scientific motivation relies on the possibility of the first demonstration of a phase transition influenced by vacuum fluctuations. The guiding principle of the measurement, based on the behaviour of the critical field for an in-cavity superconducting film, will be only briefly recalled. In this paper, after an introduction to the long term motivations, the experimental apparatus and the results of the first measurement of sensitivity will be presented in detail, particularly in comparison with the expected signal. Last, the most important steps towards the final measurement will be discussed., Comment: Talk given by Calloni at QFEXT05 Conference in Barcelona: Quantum Field Theory Under the Influence of External Conditions

The effect of an array of ferromagnetic nanoparticles on the field-dependent critical current of the short overlap Josephson junction is experimentally studied. Large reversible variations of the maximum critical current are observed depending on the magnetic state of the particles. The pronounced commensurability effects are detected which are proved by the additional peaks of magnetic field induced diffraction pattern.

We study theoretically dynamic properties of an interferometer-type Josephson charge qubit consisting of a single-Cooper-pair transistor (with capacitive gate) closed by a superconducting inductive loop. Analyzing the radio frequency response of the device to microwave fields within a two-band model, we present basic features of a method for observation of various Rabi oscillation modes. For this purpose, we apply the dressed-state approach in conjunction with the rotating-wave approximation to the strongly driven quantum bit. We demonstrate the existence of multiphoton excitations and Rabi frequency transitions between quantum levels connected with them. The resulting oscillations of the supercurrent in the interferometer modify the spectral loop susceptibility. This effect may be detected via the coil of a high-quality tank circuit inductively coupled to the qubit by measuring the tank-qubit impedance variations belonging to it.

The effect of a system of ferromagnetic particles on the field-dependent critical current of a Josephson junction is experimentally studied for junctions of different geometries. For edge junctions, the effect of commensurability between the periodic magnetic field of the particles and the Josephson vortex lattice is observed. The effect manifests itself in additional maxima of the field-dependent critical current. For overlap junctions, giant (greater than sixfold) variations of the maximum critical current are observed depending on the magnetic state of the particles. The changes in the “Fraunhofer” pattern of the overlaped Josephson junctions are attributed to the formation of Abrikosov vortices due to the effect of uniformly magnetized particles. The effects revealed in the experiments can be used to analyze the inhomogeneous magnetic field of a system of submicron particles and to control the transport properties of Josephson junctions.

This review provides a theoretical basis for understanding the current-phase relation (CPhiR) for the stationary (dc) Josephson effect in various types of superconducting junctions. The authors summarize recent theoretical developments with an emphasis on the fundamental physical mechanisms of the deviations of the CPhiR from the standard sinusoidal form. A new experimental tool for measuring the CPhiR is described and its practical applications are discussed. The method allows one to measure the electrical currents in Josephson junctions with a small coupling energy as compared to the thermal energy. A number of examples illustrate the importance of the CPhiR measurements for both fundamental physics and applications.

A two-level system traversing a level anticrossing has a small probability to make a so-called Landau-Zener (LZ) transition between its energy bands, in deviation from simple adiabatic evolution. This effect takes on renewed relevance due to the observation of quantum coherence in superconducting qubits (macroscopic "Schrodinger cat" devices). We report an observation of LZ transitions in an Al three-junction qubit coupled to a Nb resonant tank circuit., REVTeX4, 4pp., 4 EPS figures. v2: clarifications added; final, to appear in EPL

We have studied dynamic properties of a special Josephson charge qubit. The device consists of a single-Cooper-pair transistor (with capacitive gate) closed by a superconducting inductive loop. The phase bias is implemented by an external flux that threads the loop. Restricting ourselves to a two-band model, we have derived analytical expressions for the oppositely circulating ring currents in terms of gate charge and phase bias. They permit the determination of important device characteristics such as critical current, loop parameters, and Josephson inductance. For the purpose of measurements in connection with macroscopic quantum coherence, we investigate the qubit's microwave response within the frame of Bloch equations with phenomenological relaxation rates. We find the (nonlinear) qubit impedance in terms of quality, detuning, and the quantum resistance unit, which reflects the competition between irradiation and dephasing.

c-axis oriented and 11/spl deg/ tilted YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ (YBCO) thin films were deposited on [110] NdGaO/sub 3/ and (7 10 2) NdGaO/sub 3/ substrates correspondingly. Nb/Au/YBCO heterojunctions were fabricated using photolithography and ion beam milling. I-V curves of the heterojunctions based on tilted YBCO films showed zero bias anomaly conductance peak and large excess current. We observed the second harmonic (/spl prop/ sin 2/spl phi/) of superconducting current in Nb/Au/YBCO heterojunctions in c-axis oriented YBCO films, although sinusoidal superconducting current-phase relation has been measured for heterojunctions in tilted ones. The obtained results are explained by d/spl plusmn/s symmetry of YBCO superconducting order parameter.

Results of the recent experiments have clear and convincingly demonstrated that superconducting circuits with certain parameters can be in quantum superposition of macroscopically distinct states. This has important implications, for instance, for the quantum measurement theory, for the description of the interaction between light and matter as well as for implementation of new generation of quantum limited detectors and quantum information processing devices. Here both – basic ideas and practical realization of superconducting qubits – are discussed.

We study properties of a charge qubit consisting of a Josephson double junction closed by an inductive loop. Within a two-band model, we derive current-phase relationships for the incorporated Cooper pair transistor and critical loop parameters. Introducing kinetic band inductances, we propose an opportunity for a macroscopic quantum coherence experiment.

Using an RF-SQUID configuration we have measured the temperature dependence of the current–phase relation (CPR) of Nb/InAs(2DEG)/Nb (two-dimensional electron gas, 2DEG) Josephson junctions with high interface transparency. At low temperatures, significant deviations from a sinusoidal CPR are observed. The experimental results are fitted by the scattering matrix theory of Brouwer and Beenakker, additionally taking into account the proximity effect between the Nb and the 2DEG in the inversion layer on p-type bulk InAs. We have studied also the influence of an external gate voltage applied to the InAs(2DEG) channel. It is shown that the amplitude of RF-SQUID oscillations can be controlled by gate voltage with only modest deterioration of the SQUID signal.

We have shown by means of measurements of the current–phase relationship I ( φ ) of YBCO grain boundary Josephson junctions (GBJJs) that GBJJs with misorientation angles θ ⩾24° are in the tunnel limit. The properties of 45° GBJJs are known to be anomalous: both symmetric and asymmetric junctions exhibit a substantial second harmonic of I ( φ ) and, in symmetric 45° GBJJs, a temperature-controlled sign change of the first harmonic of I ( φ ) has been observed. We have shown that in the tunnel limit these anomalous properties follow from the d-wave pairing symmetry of YBCO, provided the interface is sufficiently rough.

The superconducting current–phase relation (CPR) of Nb/Au/(0 0 1) YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO) heterojunctions, prepared on epitaxial c-axis oriented YBCO thin films, has been measured in a single-junction interferometer. For the first time, the second harmonic of the CPR of such junctions has been observed. The appearance of the second harmonic and the relative sign of the first and second harmonics of the CPR can be explained assuming, that the macroscopic pairing symmetry of our YBCO thin films is of the d+s type.

The superconducting current-phase relation (CPR) of Nb/Au/(001)YBa2Cu3Ox heterojunctions prepared on epitaxial c-axis oriented YBa2Cu3Ox thin films has been measured in a single-junction interferometer. For the first time, the second harmonic of the CPR of such junctions has been observed. The appearance of the second harmonic and the relative sign of the first and second harmonics of the CPR can be explained assuming, that the macroscopic pairing symmetry of our YBa2Cu3Ox thin films is of the d+s type

We studied and optimised the properties of ultrathin superconducting niobium nitride films fabricated with a plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process. By adjusting process parameters, the chemical embedding of undesired oxygen into the films was minimised and a film structure consisting of mainly polycrystalline niobium nitride with a small fraction of amorphous niobium oxide and niobium oxo-nitrides were formed. For this composition a critical temperature of 13.8 K and critical current densities of 7 × 106 A cm–2 at 4.2 K were measured on 40 nm thick films. A fundamental correlation between these superconducting properties and the crystal lattice size of the cubic δ-niobium-nitride grains were found. Moreover, the film thickness variation between 40 and 2 nm exhibits a pronounced change of the electrical conductivity at room temperature and reveals a superconductor–insulator-transition in the vicinity of 3 nm film thickness at low temperatures. The thicker films with resistances up to 5 kΩ per square in the normal state turn to the superconducting one at low temperatures. The perfect thickness control and film homogeneity of the PEALD growth make such films extremely promising candidates for developing novel devices on the coherent quantum phase slip effect.

We present a practical design and implementation of a broadband sample holder suitable for microwave experiments with superconducting integrated circuits at millikelvin temperatures. Proposed design can be easily integrated in standard dilution cryostats, has flat pass band response in a frequency range from 0 to 32 GHz, allowing the RF testing of the samples with substrate size up to 4x4 mm. The parasitic higher modes interference in the holder structure is analyzed and prevented via design considerations. The developed setup can be used for characterization of superconducting parametric amplifiers, bolometers and qubits. We tested the designed sample holder by characterizing of a superconducting flux qubit at 20 mK temperature., 11 pages, 7 figures

We investigate the performance of superconducting flux qubits for the adiabatic quantum simulation of long distance entanglement (LDE), namely a finite ground-state entanglement between the end spins of a quantum spin chain with open boundary conditions. As such, LDE can be considered an elementary precursor of edge modes and topological order. We discuss two possible implementations which simulate open chains with uniform bulk and weak end bonds, either with Ising or with XX nearest-neighbor interactions. In both cases we discuss a suitable protocol for the adiabatic preparation of the ground state in the physical regimes featuring LDE. In the first case the adiabatic manipulation and the Ising interactions are realized using dc currents, while in the second case microwaves fields are used to control the smoothness of the transformation and to realize the effective XX interactions. We demonstrate the adiabatic preparation of the end-to-end entanglement in chains of four qubits with realistic parameters and on a relatively fast time scale., 12 pages, 14 figures. Final manuscript, close to the published version

We suggest a new method for microwave diagnostics of nanomechanical resonators. The system under consideration is a microwave coplanar line (MWCL), interacting through a capacitive load with nanomehanichal resonator (NAMR). The input is a superposition of two signals with close frequencies, one of which coincides with the fundamental frequency of the MWCL. Thus NAMR is excited by a difference frequency, which leads to a modulation of the output signal at this frequency. The modulation amplitudes of the output signal has the characteristic peaks at the resonant frequency of the NAMR, which allows the determination of the position of the NAMR resonance and its quality factor. The paper presents a theoretical calculation of the modulation amplitudes. It is shown that their frequency dependence has a characteristic Lorentzian structure with the position of the peak and the width being determined by NAMR resonance characteristics.

We have considered relativistic soliton dynamics governed by the sine-Gordon equation and affected by short spatial inhomogeneities of the driving force and thermal noise. Developed analytical and numerical methods for calculation of soliton scattering at the inhomogeneities allowed us to examine the scattering as a measurement tool for sensitive detection of polarity of the inhomogeneities. We have considered the superconducting fluxonic ballistic detector as an example of the device in which the soliton scattering is utilized for quantum measurements of superconducting flux qubit. We optimized the soliton dynamics for the measurement process varying the starting and the stationary soliton velocity as well as configuration of the inhomogeneities. For experimentally relevant parameters we obtained the signal-to-noise ratio above 100 reflecting good practical usability of the measurement concept., 9 pages, 5 figures