Finite sizes and smooth cutoffs in superconducting circuits

We investigate the validity of two common assumptions in the modelling of superconducting circuits: first, that the superconducting qubits are pointlike, and second, that the UV behaviour of the transmission line is not relevant to the qubit dynamics. We show that in the experimentally accessible ultra-strong coupling regime and for short (but attainable) times, the use of an inaccurate cutoff model (such as sharp, or none at all) could introduce very significant inaccuracies in the model’s predictions.