Violating Bell’s inequality with an artificial atom and a cat state in a cavity

  1. Brian Vlastakis,
  2. Andrei Petrenko,
  3. Nissim Ofek,
  4. Luayn Sun,
  5. Zaki Leghtas,
  6. Katrina Sliwa,
  7. Yehan Liu,
  8. Michael Hatridge,
  9. Jacob Blumoff,
  10. Luigi Frunzio,
  11. Mazyar Mirrahimi,
  12. Liang Jiang,
  13. M. H. Devoret,
  14. and R. J. Schoelkopf
The `Schr“odinger’s cat‘ thought experiment highlights the counterintuitive facet of quantum theory that entanglement can exist between microscopic and macroscopic
systems, producing a superposition of distinguishable states like the fictitious cat that is both alive and dead. The hallmark of entanglement is the detection of strong correlations between systems, for example by the violation of Bell’s inequality. Using the CHSH variant of the Bell test, this violation has been observed with photons, atoms, solid state spins, and artificial atoms in superconducting circuits. For larger, more distinguishable states, the conflict between quantum predictions and our classical expectations is typically resolved due to the rapid onset of decoherence. To investigate this reconciliation, one can employ a superposition of coherent states in an oscillator, known as a cat state. In contrast to discrete systems, one can continuously vary the size of the prepared cat state and therefore its dependence on decoherence. Here we demonstrate and quantify entanglement between an artificial atom and a cat state in a cavity, which we call a `Bell-cat‘ state. We use a circuit QED architecture, high-fidelity measurements, and real-time feedback control to violate Bell’s inequality without post-selection or corrections for measurement inefficiencies. Furthermore, we investigate the influence of decoherence by continuously varying the size of created Bell-cat states and characterize the entangled system by joint Wigner tomography. These techniques provide a toolset for quantum information processing with entangled qubits and resonators. While recent results have demonstrated a high level of control of such systems, this experiment demonstrates that information can be extracted efficiently and with high fidelity, a crucial requirement for quantum computing with resonators.

Non-Poissonian Quantum Jumps of a Fluxonium Qubit due to Quasiparticle Excitations

  1. Uri Vool,
  2. Ioan M. Pop,
  3. Katrina Sliwa,
  4. Baleegh Abdo,
  5. Chen Wang,
  6. Teresa Brecht,
  7. Yvonne Y. Gao,
  8. Shyam Shankar,
  9. Michael Hatridge,
  10. Gianluigi Catelani,
  11. Mazyar Mirrahimi,
  12. Luigi Frunzio,
  13. Robert J. Schoelkopf,
  14. Leonid I. Glazman,
  15. and Michel H. Devoret
As the energy relaxation time of superconducting qubits steadily improves, non-equilibrium quasiparticle excitations above the superconducting gap emerge as an increasingly relevant
limit for qubit coherence. We measure fluctuations in the number of quasiparticle excitations by continuously monitoring the spontaneous quantum jumps between the states of a fluxonium qubit, in conditions where relaxation is dominated by quasiparticle loss. Resolution on the scale of a single quasiparticle is obtained by performing quantum non-demolition projective measurements within a time interval much shorter than T1, using a quantum limited amplifier (Josephson Parametric Converter). The quantum jumps statistics switches between the expected Poisson distribution and a non-Poissonian one, indicating large relative fluctuations in the quasiparticle population, on time scales varying from seconds to hours. This dynamics can be modified controllably by injecting quasiparticles or by seeding quasiparticle-trapping vortices by cooling down in magnetic field.

Josephson directional amplifier for quantum measurement of superconducting circuits

  1. Baleegh Abdo,
  2. Katrina Sliwa,
  3. S. Shankar,
  4. Michael Hatridge,
  5. Luigi Frunzio,
  6. Robert Schoelkopf,
  7. and Michel Devoret
We have realized a microwave quantum-limited amplifier that is directional and can therefore function without the front circulator needed in many quantum measurements. The amplification
takes place in only one direction between the input and output ports. Directionality is achieved by multi-pump parametric amplification combined with wave interference. We have verified the device noise performances by using it to readout a superconducting qubit and observed quantum jumps. With an improved version of this device, qubit and preamplifer could be integrated on the same chip.

Full coherent frequency conversion between two microwave propagating modes

  1. Baleegh Abdo,
  2. Katrina Sliwa,
  3. Flavius Schackert,
  4. Nicolas Bergeal,
  5. Michael Hatridge,
  6. Luigi Frunzio,
  7. A. Douglas Stone,
  8. and Michel H. Devoret
We demonstrate full frequency conversion in the microwave domain using a Josephson three-wave mixing device pumped at the difference between the frequencies of its fundamental eigenmodes.
By measuring the signal output as a function of the intensity and phase of the three input signal, idler and pump tones, we show that the device functions as a controllable three-wave beam-splitter/combiner for propagating microwave modes, in accordance with theory. Losses at the full conversion point are found to be less than 10^-2. Potential applications of the device include quantum information transduction and realization of an ultra-sensitive interferometer with controllable feedback.