Analytical Quantum Full-Wave Analysis of Few-Photon Transport Through a Superconducting Cavity Qubit

  1. Soomin Moon,
  2. and Thomas E. Roth
A promising way to scale up superconducting quantum computers is to link different devices together using propagating photons. Correspondingly, accurately modeling the quantum information
transfer in such quantum interconnects is critical to advancing this emerging technology. To accomplish this, a full-wave quantum numerical model is essential for describing the few-photon transport characteristics of various components. Unfortunately, validating the accuracy of such numerical models remains a difficult challenge due to the lack of appropriate analytical solutions for standard component types. Recently, progress has been made on creating the first-ever analytical quantum full-wave solutions for a superconducting circuit quantum device. These efforts considered the case of two-photon transport through an empty rectangular waveguide cavity and the interactions of photons inside a closed rectangular waveguide cavity with a transmon qubit formed by a Josephson junction connected across the terminals of a small wire dipole antenna. Here, we advance these efforts by considering the one- and two-photon transport properties through a rectangular waveguide cavity containing a qubit in this form when the cavity is interfaced with via two coaxial ports. Such devices can be used in various ways for quantum interconnects, such as to form parts of a quantum memory or a photon source. We perform this analysis leveraging a quantum input-output theory formalism to derive the relevant single- and two-photon transport characteristics of interest. We then examine the signatures of the nonlinear quantum scattering effects in the good and bad cavity regimes of cavity quantum electrodynamics. In the future, these analytical results can be used to validate numerical full-wave quantum solvers for modeling quantum interconnects.

Analytical Quantum Full-Wave Solutions for a 3D Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics System

  1. Soomin Moon,
  2. Dong-Yeop Na,
  3. and Thomas E. Roth
High-fidelity general-purpose numerical methods are increasingly needed to improve superconducting circuit quantum information processor performance. One challenge in developing such
numerical methods is the lack of reference data to validate them. To address this, we have designed a 3D system where all electromagnetic properties needed in a quantum analysis can be evaluated using analytical techniques from classical electromagnetic theory. Here, we review the basics of our field-based quantization method and then use these techniques to create the first-ever analytical quantum full-wave solution for a superconducting circuit quantum device. Specifically, we analyze a coaxial-fed 3D waveguide cavity with and without transmon quantum bits inside the cavity. We validate our analytical solutions by comparing them to numerical methods in evaluating single photon interference and computing key system parameters related to controlling quantum bits. In the future, our analytical solutions can be used to validate numerical methods, as well as build intuition about important quantum effects in realistic 3D devices.