1 research outputs found
Coherent control of macroscopic quantum states in a single-Cooper-pair box
A small superconducting electrode (a single-Cooper-pair box) connected to a
reservoir via a Josephson junction constitutes an artificial two-level system,
in which two charge states that differ by 2e are coupled by tunneling of Cooper
pairs. Despite its macroscopic nature involving a large number of electrons,
the two-level system shows coherent superposition of the two charge states, and
has been suggested as a candidate for a qubit, i.e. a basic component of a
quantum computer. Here we report on time-domain observation of the coherent
quantum-state evolution in the two-level system by applying a short voltage
pulse that modifies the energies of the two levels nonadiabatically to control
the coherent evolution. The resulting state was probed by a tunneling current
through an additional probe junction. Our results demonstrate coherent
operation and measurement of a quantum state of a single two-level system, i.e.
a qubit, in a solid-state electronic device.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; to be published in Natur