High-fidelity qubit measurements play a crucial role in quantum computation, communication, and metrology. In recent experiments, it has been shown that readout fidelity may be improvedby performing repeated quantum non-demolition (QND) readouts of a qubit’s state through an ancilla. For a qubit encoded in a two-level system, the fidelity of such schemes is limited by the fact that a single error can destroy the information in the qubit. On the other hand, if a bosonic system is used, this fundamental limit could be overcome by utilizing higher levels such that a single error still leaves states distinguishable. In this work, we present a robust readout scheme, applicable to bosonic systems dispersively coupled to an ancilla, which leverages both repeated QND readouts and higher-level encodings to asymptotically suppress the effects of qubit/cavity relaxation and individual measurement infidelity. We calculate the measurement fidelity in terms of general experimental parameters, provide an information-theoretic description of the scheme, and describe its application to several encodings, including cat and binomial codes.
Encoding quantum states in complex multiphoton fields can overcome loss during signal transmission in a quantum network. Transmitting quantum information encoded in this way requiresthat locally stored states can be converted to propagating fields. Here we experimentally show the controlled conversion of multiphoton quantum states, like „Schr\“odinger cat“ states, from a microwave cavity quantum memory into propagating modes. By parametric conversion using the nonlinearity of a single Josephson junction, we can release the cavity state in ~500 ns, about 3 orders of magnitude faster than its intrinsic lifetime. This `catapult‘ faithfully converts arbitrary cavity fields to traveling signals with an estimated efficiency of > 90%, enabling on-demand generation of complex itinerant quantum states. Importantly, the release process can be controlled precisely on fast time scales, allowing us to generate entanglement between the cavity and the traveling mode by partial conversion. Our system can serve as the backbone of a microwave quantum network, paving the way towards error-correctable distribution of quantum information and the transfer of highly non-classical states to hybrid quantum systems.
Quantum channels can describe all transformations allowed by quantum mechanics. We provide an explicit universal protocol to construct all possible quantum channels, using a singlequbit ancilla with quantum non-demolition readout and adaptive control. Our construction is efficient in both physical resources and circuit depth, and can be demonstrated using superconducting circuits and various other physical platforms. There are many applications of quantum channel construction, including system stabilization and quantum error correction, Markovian and exotic channel simulation, implementation of generalized quantum measurements and more general quantum instruments. Efficient construction of arbitrary quantum channels opens up exciting new possibilities for quantum control, quantum sensing and information processing tasks.
A logical qubit is a two-dimensional subspace of a higher dimensional system, chosen such that it is possible to detect and correct the occurrence of certain errors. Manipulation ofthe encoded information generally requires arbitrary and precise control over the entire system. Whether based on multiple physical qubits or larger dimensional modes such as oscillators, the individual elements in realistic devices will always have residual interactions which must be accounted for when designing logical operations. Here we demonstrate a holistic control strategy which exploits accurate knowledge of the Hamiltonian to manipulate a coupled oscillator-transmon system. We use this approach to realize high-fidelity (99%, inferred), decoherence-limited operations on a logical qubit encoded in a superconducting cavity resonator using four-component cat states. Our results show the power of applying numerical techniques to control linear oscillators and pave the way for utilizing their large Hilbert space as a resource in quantum information processing.
Numerous loss mechanisms can limit coherence and scalability of planar and 3D-based circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) devices, particularly due to their packaging. The low lossand natural isolation of 3D enclosures make them good candidates for coherent scaling. We introduce a coaxial transmission line device architecture with coherence similar to traditional 3D cQED systems. Measurements demonstrate well-controlled external and on-chip couplings, a spectrum absent of cross-talk or spurious modes, and excellent resonator and qubit lifetimes. We integrate a resonator-qubit system in this architecture with a seamless 3D cavity, and separately pattern a qubit, readout resonator, Purcell filter and high-Q stripline resonator on a single chip. Device coherence and its ease of integration make this a promising tool for complex experiments.
We study the energy relaxation times (T1) of superconducting transmon qubits in 3D cavities as a function of dielectric participation ratios of material surfaces. This surface participationratio, representing the fraction of electric field energy stored in a dissipative surface layer, is computed by a two-step finite-element simulation and experimentally varied by qubit geometry. With a clean electromagnetic environment and suppressed non-equilibrium quasiparticle density, we find an approximately proportional relation between the transmon relaxation rates and surface participation ratios. These results suggest dielectric dissipation arising from material interfaces is the major limiting factor for the T1 of transmons in 3D cQED architecture. Our analysis also supports the notion of spatial discreteness of surface dielectric dissipation.
We demonstrate and contrast two approaches to the stabilization of qubit entanglement by feedback. Our demonstration is built on a feedback platform consisting of two superconductingqubits coupled to a cavity which are measured by a nearly-quantum-limited measurement chain and controlled by high-speed classical logic circuits. This platform is used to stabilize entanglement by two nominally distinct schemes: a „passive“ reservoir engineering method and an „active“ correction based on conditional parity measurements. In view of the instrumental roles that these two feedback paradigms play in quantum error-correction and quantum control, we directly compare them on the same experimental setup. Further, we show that a second layer of feedback can be added to each of these schemes, which heralds the presence of a high-fidelity entangled state in realtime. This „nested“ feedback brings about a marked entanglement fidelity improvement without sacrificing success probability.
Significant advances in coherence have made superconducting quantum circuits a viable platform for fault-tolerant quantum computing. To further extend capabilities, highly coherentquantum systems could act as quantum memories for these circuits. A useful quantum memory must be rapidly addressable by qubits, while maintaining superior coherence. We demonstrate a novel superconducting microwave cavity architecture that is highly robust against major sources of loss that are encountered in the engineering of circuit QED systems. The architecture allows for near-millisecond storage of quantum states in a resonator while strong coupling between the resonator and a transmon qubit enables control, encoding, and readout at MHz rates. The observed coherence times constitute an improvement of almost an order of magnitude over those of the best available superconducting qubits. Our design is an ideal platform for studying coherent quantum optics and marks an important step towards hardware-efficient quantum computing with Josephson junction-based quantum circuits.
The large available Hilbert space and high coherence of cavity resonators makes these systems an interesting resource for storing encoded quantum bits. To perform a quantum gate onthis encoded information, however, complex nonlinear operations must be applied to the many levels of the oscillator simultaneously. In this work, we introduce the Selective Number-dependent Arbitrary Phase (SNAP) gate, which imparts a different phase to each Fock state component using an off-resonantly coupled qubit. We show that the SNAP gate allows control over the quantum phases by correcting the unwanted phase evolution due to the Kerr effect. Furthermore, by combining the SNAP gate with oscillator displacements, we create a one-photon Fock state with high fidelity. Using just these two controls, one can construct arbitrary unitary operations, offering a scalable route to performing logical manipulations on oscillator-encoded qubits.
We investigate quantum control of an oscillator mode off-resonantly coupled to an ancillary qubit. In the strong dispersive regime, we may drive the qubit conditioned on number statesof the oscillator, which together with displacement operations can achieve universal control of the oscillator. Based on our proof of universal control, we provide explicit constructions for arbitrary state preparation and arbitrary unitary operation of the oscillator. Moreover, we present an efficient procedure to prepare the number state ∣∣n⟩ using only O(n‾‾√) operations. We also compare our scheme with known quantum control protocols for coupled qubit-oscillator systems. This universal control scheme of the oscillator can readily be implemented using superconducting circuits.