4 research outputs found
Lifetime and Coherence of Two-Level Defects in a Josephson Junction
We measure the lifetime () and coherence () of two-level defect
states (TLSs) in the insulating barrier of a Josephson phase qubit and compare
to the interaction strength between the two systems. We find for the average
decay times a power law dependence on the corresponding interaction strengths,
whereas for the average coherence times we find an optimum at intermediate
coupling strengths. We explain both the lifetime and the coherence results
using the standard TLS model, including dipole radiation by phonons and
anti-correlated dependence of the energy parameters on environmental
fluctuations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures and supplementary material (3 pages, 2 figures, 1
table
Direct Wigner tomography of a superconducting anharmonic oscillator
The analysis of wave-packet dynamics may be greatly simplified when viewed in
phase-space. While harmonic oscillators are often used as a convenient platform
to study wave-packets, arbitrary state preparation in these systems is more
challenging. Here, we demonstrate a direct measurement of the Wigner
distribution of complex photon states in an anharmonic oscillator - a
superconducting phase circuit, biased in the small anharmonicity regime. We
test our method on both non-classical states composed of two energy eigenstates
and on the dynamics of a phase-locked wavepacket. This method requires a simple
calibration, and is easily applicable in our system out to the fifth level.Comment: 5 figures, 1 table and supplementary materia
Sub-micrometer epitaxial Josephson junctions for quantum circuits
We present a fabrication scheme and testing results for epitaxial
sub-micrometer Josephson junctions. The junctions are made using a
high-temperature (1170 K) "via process" yielding junctions as small as 0.8 mu m
in diameter by use of optical lithography. Sapphire (Al2O3) tunnel-barriers are
grown on an epitaxial Re/Ti multilayer base-electrode. We have fabricated
devices with both Re and Al top electrodes. While room-temperature (295 K)
resistance versus area data are favorable for both types of top electrodes, the
low-temperature (50 mK) data show that junctions with the Al top electrode have
a much higher subgap resistance. The microwave loss properties of the junctions
have been measured by use of superconducting Josephson junction qubits. The
results show that high subgap resistance correlates to improved qubit
performance