Luigi Longobardi

Thermal hopping and retrapping of a Brownian particle in the tilted periodic potential of a NbN/MgO/NbN Josephson junction

We report on the occurrence of multiple hopping and retrapping of a Brownian particle in a tilted washboard potential. The escape dynamic has been studied experimentally by measuring the switching current distributions as a function of temperature in a moderately damped NbN/MgO/NbN Josephson junction. At low temperatures the second moment of the distribution increases in agreement with calculations based on Kramers thermal activation regime. After a turn-over temperature T*, the shape of the distributions starts changing and width decreases with temperature. We analyze the data through fit of the switching probability and Monte Carlo simulations and we find a good agreement with a model based on a multiple retrapping process.

rf-SQUID qubit readout using a fast flux pulse

We report on development of a set-up for measuring intrawell dynamics in a Nb-based rf-SQUID qubit described by a double well potential, by rapidly tilting the potential, allowing escape to the adjacent well with high probability for an excited state but low probability for the ground state. The rapid tilt of the double well potential is accomplished via a readout flux pulse inductively coupled to the qubit from a microstrip transmission line on a separate chip suspended above the qubit chip. The readout pulse is analogous to the current bias pulse used to readout phase qubits and hysteretic dc-SQUID magnetometers. The coupling between the transmission line and the qubit is carefully controlled via a window in the ground plane between the signal conductor of the microstrip and the qubit loop. Since the high frequency transmission lines are on a separate chip, they can be independently characterized and reused for different qubit samples. Clean flux pulses as short as 5 ns with rise times of 0.5 ns have been coupled to the qubit to measure escape rates higher than 108 s−1, the lifetime of the excited state, and coherent oscillations between the ground and excited states within the same well.

Decoherence in rf SQUID qubits

We report measurements of coherence times of an rf SQUID qubit using pulsed microwaves and rapid flux pulses. The modified rf SQUID, described by an double-well potential, has independent, in situ, controls for the tilt and barrier height of the potential. The decay of coherent oscillations is dominated by the lifetime of the excited state and low frequency flux noise and is consistent with independent measurement of these quantities obtained by microwave spectroscopy, resonant tunneling between fluxoid wells and decay of the excited state. The oscillation’s waveform is compared to analytical results obtained for finite decay rates and detuning and averaged over low frequency flux noise.

Microstrip filters for measurement and control of superconducting qubits

Careful filtering is necessary for observations of quantum phenomena in superconducting circuits at low temperatures. Measurements of coherence between quantum states require extensive filtering to protect against noise coupled from room temperature electronics. We demonstrate distributed transmission line filters which cut off exponentially at GHz frequencies and can be anchored at the base temperature of a dilution refrigerator. The compact design makes them suitable to filter many different bias lines in the same setup, necessary for the control and measurement of superconducting qubits.

Development and Testing of a Persistent Flux Bias for Qubits

We have realized an on-chip persistent flux bias for our flux based qubit by adding a switchable aluminum shunt to the niobium flux bias coils. This inductive shunt can create a persistent current loop by trapping the bias flux at the superconducting transition of the Al. When the Al is superconducting, the noise spectral density from the flux bias and the damping due to the flux bias should both be reduced by a factor of 100, since the inductance ratio,Lsh/Lp, is 0.1. This reduces one of the sources of decoherence for the qubit. To permit changes to the persistent current in the superconducting loops at mK temperatures, a local heater has been coupled to the Al shunt. This makes it possible to briefly drive the shunt to its normal state to change to flux without heating the entire device.

Macroscopic quantum device based on an RF SQUID system

The growing amount of theoretical interest in the area of quantum computing have stimulated in recent years research with the aim of developing a corresponding technology. Superconducting Josephson systems appear to be among the most promising candidates. We present the characterization of a fully integrated Josephson device consisting of an RF SQUID coupled to a readout system based on a dc SQUID sensor. We report measurements of the dc SQUID performances showing a high intrinsic responsivity and a low flux noise, giving a good signal to noise ratio in the small signal mode. In the classical regime data on the decay rate from the metastable flux states of RF SQUID are also reported. The low dissipation level and the good insulation of the probe from the external noise are encouraging in view of macroscopic quantum experiments. Work is in progress to improve the design of the device to increase its application capability toward the quantum regime.

Effects of Capacitance on Phase Dynamics of

We report on YBa2Cu3O7-x biepitaxial grain boundary Josephson junctions (JJs) demonstrating significant tunability of their circuital parameters. We show how the enhanced control of the junction properties, and particularly of the capacitance, leads to advances in the understanding of phase dynamics of high-critical-temperature superconductor JJs and potentially of their intrinsic dissipation mechanisms.

\hbox{YBa}_{2}\hbox{Cu}_{3}\hbox{O}_{7-x}

We report on YBa2Cu3O7-x biepitaxial grain boundary Josephson junctions (JJs) demonstrating significant tunability of their circuital parameters. We show how the enhanced control of the junction properties, and particularly of the capacitance, leads to advances in the understanding of phase dynamics of high-critical-temperature superconductor JJs and potentially of their intrinsic dissipation mechanisms.

Josephson Junctions

We report on YBa2Cu3O7-x biepitaxial grain boundary Josephson junctions (JJs) demonstrating significant tunability of their circuital parameters. We show how the enhanced control of the junction properties, and particularly of the capacitance, leads to advances in the understanding of phase dynamics of high-critical-temperature superconductor JJs and potentially of their intrinsic dissipation mechanisms.

Effects of Capacitance on Phase Dynamics of Josephson Junctions

Recently, the observation of macroscopic quantum effects in high critical temperature superconductor (HTS) Josephson junctions (JJs) paved the way to the possible use of HTS in quantum hybrid circuits. Dissipation in HTS JJs has been proven to be below expectations, even in junction configurations designed to fully exploit the functionality of a d-wave order parameter symmetry, where low energy quasi-particles can be more harmful for coherence. We report on the design of YBaCuO rf-SQUIDs based on the properties of sub-micron biepitaxial junctions with variable inter face orientation with respect to the order parameters of the two electrodes. The study of the double well potential of such system may offer further insights for a deeper understanding of the dynamics of a HTS Josephson device. The rf-SQUID has been de signed to have independent controls for the barrier height between the wells and for the relative positions of the energy levels in different fluxoid wells. The flux state of the rf-SQUID is readout by an inductively coupled dc-SQUID magnetometer.