arXiv subjects

Achim Marx

Publications and source records attributed to Achim Marx.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Experimental setup for the combined study of spin ensembles and superconducting quantum circuits

A hybrid quantum computing architecture combining quantum processors and quantum memory units allows for exploiting each component's unique properties to enhance the overall performance of the total system. However, superconducting qubits are highly sensitive to magnetic fields, while spin ensembles require finite fields for control, creating a major integration challenge. In this work, we demonstrate the first experimental setup that satisfies these constraints and provides verified qubit stability. Our cryogenic setup comprises two spatially and magnetically decoupled sample volumes inside a single dilution refrigerator: one hosting flux-tunable superconducting qubits and the other a spin ensemble equipped with a superconducting solenoid generating fields up to 50 mT. We show that several layers of Cryophy shielding and an additional superconducting aluminum shield suppress magnetic crosstalk by more than eight orders of magnitude, ensuring stability of the qubit's performance. Moreover, the operation of the solenoid adds minimal thermal load on the relevant stages of the dilution refrigerator. Our results enable scalable hybrid quantum architectures with low-loss integration, marking a key step toward scalable hybrid quantum computing platforms.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2025

Resolving Abrikosov vortex entry in superconducting nano-string resonators via displacement-noise spectroscopy in cavity-optomechanics

Abrikosov vortices in type-II superconductors critically influence current flow and coherence, thereby imposing fundamental limits on superconducting quantum technologies. Quantum circuits employ superconducting elements at micro- and mesoscopic scales, where individual vortices can significantly impact device performance, necessitating investigation of vortex entry, motion, and pinning in these constrained geometries. Cavity-optomechanical platforms combining flux-tunable microwave resonators with superconducting nanomechanical elements offer a promising route to the single-photon strong-coupling regime and enable highly sensitive probing of the mechanical degree of freedom under elevated magnetic fields. Here, we exploit this platform to investigate vortex entry processes at the single-event level. We observe discrete jumps of the mechanical resonance frequency attributable to individual vortex entry, corresponding to attonewton-scale forces and allowing quantitative extraction of single-vortex pinning energies. These signatures are superimposed on a smooth power-law background characteristic of the collective Campbell-regime of vortex elasticity. Our results establish optomechanics-inspired sensing as a powerful method for exploring fundamental superconducting properties and identifying decoherence pathways in quantum circuits. Beyond advancing vortex physics, this work opens new opportunities for integrating mechanical sensing into superconducting device architectures, bridging condensed matter physics and quantum information science.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Superconducting Qubit Gates Robust to Parameter Fluctuations

State-of-the-art single-qubit gates on superconducting transmon qubits can achieve the fidelities required for error-corrected computations. However, parameter fluctuations due to qubit instabilities, environmental changes, and control inaccuracies make it difficult to maintain this performance. To mitigate the effects of these parameter variations, we numerically derive gates robust to amplitude and frequency errors using gradient ascent pulse engineering (GRAPE). We analyze how fluctuations in qubit frequency, drive amplitude, and coherence affect gate performance over time. The robust pulses suppress coherent errors from drive amplitude drifts over 15 times more than a Gaussian pulse with derivative removal by adiabatic gate (DRAG) corrections. Furthermore, the robust gates, originally designed to compensate for quasi-static errors, also demonstrate resilience to stochastic, time-dependent noise, which is reflected in the dephasing time. They suppress added errors during increases in dephasing by up to 1.7 times more than DRAG.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Broadband electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of $^{167}$Er:$^{7}$LiYF$_4$ at mK temperatures

Rare-earth spin ensembles are a promising platform for microwave quantum memory applications due to their hyperfine transitions, which can exhibit exceptionally long coherence times when using an operation point with zero first-order Zeeman (ZEFOZ) shift. In this work, we use broadband electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy on $^{167}$Er:$^{7}$LiYF$_4$ single crystals at sub-Kelvin temperatures. By fitting the spin Hamiltonian to the zero-field spectrum, we obtain refined parameters of the magnetic field-independent interactions, such as the hyperfine and quadrupole interaction. We also study the influence of the quadrupole interaction on the hyperfine splitting in the zero and low magnetic field range by analyzing EPR-spectra between 0 mT and 50 mT. Our findings highlight the broadband EPR spectroscopy approach as a powerful tool for the precise determination of the spin Hamiltonian parameters and for the characterization of hyperfine transitions in terms of their selection rules and linewidth.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Sensitivity-Adapted Closed-Loop Optimization for High-Fidelity Controlled-Z Gates in Superconducting Qubits

Achieving fast and high-fidelity qubit operations is crucial for unlocking the potential of quantum computers. In particular, reaching low gate errors in two-qubit gates has been a long-standing challenge in the field of superconducting qubits due to their typically long duration relative to coherence times. To realize fast gates, we utilize the hybridization between fixed-frequency superconducting qubits with a strongly interacting coupler mode that is tunable in frequency. To reduce population leakage during required adiabatic passages through avoided level crossings, we employ a sensitivity-adaptive closed-loop optimization method to design complex pulse shapes. We compare the performance of Gaussian-square, Fourier-series, and piecewise-constant-slope (PiCoS) pulse parametrizations and are able to reach 99.9 % controlled-Z gate fidelity using a 64 ns long Fourier-series pulse defined by only seven parameters. These high-fidelity values are achieved by analyzing the optimized pulse shapes to identify and systematically mitigate signal-line distortions in the experiment. To improve the convergence speed of the optimization we implement an adaptive cost function, which continuously maximizes the sensitivity. The demonstrated method can be used for tune-up and recalibration of superconducting quantum processors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Sub-Harmonic Control of a Fluxonium Qubit via a Purcell-Protected Flux Line

Protecting qubits from environmental noise while maintaining strong coupling for fast high-fidelity control is a central challenge for quantum information processing. Here, we demonstrate a control scheme for superconducting fluxonium qubits that eliminates qubit decay through the control channel by suppressing the environmental density of states at the transition frequency. Adding a low-pass filter on the flux line allows for flux-biasing and, at the same time, coherently controlling the fluxonium qubit by parametrically driving it at integer fractions of its transition frequency. We compare the filtered to the unfiltered configuration and find a five times longer $T_1$, and ten times improved $T_2$-echo time in the filtered case. We demonstrate coherent control with up to 11-photon sub-harmonic drives, highlighting the strong non-linearity of the fluxonium potential. Measured Rabi frequencies and drive-induced frequency shifts show excellent agreement with numerical and analytical models. Furthermore, we show the equivalence of a 3-photon sub-harmonic drive to an on-resonance drive by benchmarking sub-harmonic gate fidelities above 99.94$\,$%. These results open up a scalable path for full qubit control through a single Purcell-protected channel, providing strong suppression of control-induced decoherence and enabling wiring-efficient superconducting quantum processors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Parity-dependent state transfer for direct entanglement generation

As quantum information technologies advance, challenges in scaling and connectivity persist, particularly the need for long-range qubit connectivity and efficient entanglement generation. Perfect State Transfer enables time-optimal state transfer between distant qubits using only nearest-neighbor couplings, enhancing device connectivity. Moreover, the transfer protocol results in effective parity-dependent non-local interactions, extending its utility to entanglement generation. Here, we experimentally demonstrate Perfect State Transfer and multi-qubit entanglement generation on a chain of six superconducting transmon qubits with tunable couplers, controlled via parametric drives. By simultaneously activating and engineering all couplings, we implement the transfer for up to six qubits, verifying single-excitation dynamics for different initial states. Extending the protocol to multiple excitations, we confirm its parity-dependent nature, where excitation number controls the phase of the transferred state. Finally, leveraging this property, we prepare a Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state using a single transfer operation, showcasing the potential of Perfect State Transfer for efficient entanglement generation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

Onset of transmon ionization in microwave single-photon detection

By strongly driving a transmon-resonator system, the transmon qubit may eventually escape from its cosine-shaped potential. This process is called transmon ionization (TI) and known to be detrimental to the qubit coherence and operation. In this work, we investigate the onset of TI in an irreversible, parametrically-driven, frequency conversion process in a system consisting of a superconducting 3D-cavity coupled to a fixed-frequency transmon qubit. Above a critical pump power we find a sudden increase in the transmon population. Using Renyi entropy, Floquet modes, and Husimi Q functions, we infer that this abrupt change can be attributed to a quantum-to-classical phase transition. Furthermore, in the context of the single-photon detection, we measure a TI-uncorrected detection efficiency of up to 86% and estimate a TI-corrected value of up to 78% by exploiting the irreversible frequency conversion. Our numerical simulations suggest that increasing the detuning between the pump and qubit frequencies and increasing the qubit anharmonicity can suppress the TI impact. Our findings highlight the general importance of the TI process when operating coupled qubit-cavity systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Efficient decoupling of a non-linear qubit mode from its environment

To control and measure the state of a quantum system it must necessarily be coupled to external degrees of freedom. This inevitably leads to spontaneous emission via the Purcell effect, photon-induced dephasing from measurement back-action, and errors caused by unwanted interactions with nearby quantum systems. To tackle this fundamental challenge, we make use of the design flexibility of superconducting quantum circuits to form a multi-mode element -- an artificial molecule -- with symmetry-protected modes. The proposed circuit consists of three superconducting islands coupled to a central island via Josephson junctions. It exhibits two essential non-linear modes, one of which is flux-insensitive and used as the protected qubit mode. The second mode is flux-tunable and serves via a cross-Kerr type coupling as a mediator to control the dispersive coupling of the qubit mode to the readout resonator. We demonstrate the Purcell protection of the qubit mode by measuring relaxation times that are independent of the mediated dispersive coupling. We show that the coherence of the qubit is not limited by photon-induced dephasing when detuning the mediator mode from the readout resonator and thereby reducing the dispersive coupling. The resulting highly protected qubit with tunable interactions may serve as a basic building block of a scalable quantum processor architecture, in which qubit decoherence is strongly suppressed.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Surface acoustic wave resonators on thin film piezoelectric substrates in the quantum regime

Lithium niobate (LNO) is a well established material for surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices including resonators, delay lines and filters. Recently, multi-layer substrates based on LNO thin films have become commercially available. Here, we present a systematic low-temperature study of the performance of SAW devices fabricated on LNO-on-insulator and LNO-on-Silicon substrates and compare them to bulk LNO devices. Our study aims at assessing the performance of these substrates for quantum acoustics, i.e. the integration with superconducting circuits operating in the quantum regime. To this end, we design SAW resonators with a target frequency of 5 GHz and perform experiments at millikelvin temperatures and microwave power levels corresponding to single photons or phonons. The devices are investigated regarding their internal quality factors as a function of the excitation power and temperature, which allows us to characterize and quantify losses and identify the dominating loss mechanism. For the measured devices, fitting the experimental data shows that the quality factors are limited by the coupling of the resonator to a bath of two-level-systems. Our results suggest that SAW devices on thin film LNO on silicon have comparable performance to devices on bulk LNO and are viable for use in SAW-based quantum acoustic devices.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2022

Quantum behavior of a superconducting Duffing oscillator at the dissipative phase transition

Understanding the non-deterministic behavior of deterministic nonlinear systems has been an implicit dream since Lorenz named it the "butterfly effect". A prominent example is the hysteresis and bistability of the Duffing oscillator, which in the classical description is attributed to the coexistence of two steady states in a double-well potential. However, this interpretation fails in the quantum-mechanical perspective, where a single unique steady state is allowed in the whole parameter space. Here, we measure the non-equilibrium dynamics of a superconducting Duffing oscillator and reconcile the classical and quantum descriptions in a unified picture of quantum metastability. We demonstrate that the two classically regarded steady states are in fact metastable states. They have a remarkably long lifetime in the classical hysteresis regime but must eventually relax into a single unique steady state allowed by quantum mechanics. By engineering the lifetime of the metastable states sufficiently large, we observe a first-order dissipative phase transition, which mimics a sudden change of the mean field in a 11-site Bose-Hubbard lattice. We also reveal the two distinct phases of the transition by quantum state tomography, namely a coherent-state phase and a squeezed-state phase separated by a critical point. Our results reveal a smooth quantum state evolution behind a sudden dissipative phase transition, and they form an essential step towards understanding hysteresis and instability in non-equilibrium systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2022

Perspectives of microwave quantum key distribution in open-air

One of the cornerstones of quantum communication is the unconditionally secure distribution of classical keys between remote parties. This key feature of quantum technology is based on the quantum properties of propagating electromagnetic waves, such as entanglement, or the no-cloning theorem. However, these quantum resources are known to be susceptible to noise and losses, which are omnipresent in open-air communication scenarios. In this work, we theoretically investigate the perspectives of continuous-variable open-air quantum key distribution at microwave frequencies. In particular, we present a model describing the coupling of propagating microwaves with a noisy environment. Using a protocol based on displaced squeezed states, we demonstrate that continuous-variable quantum key distribution with propagating microwaves can be unconditionally secure at room temperature up to distances of around 200 meters. Moreover, we show that microwaves can potentially outperform conventional quantum key distribution at telecom wavelength at imperfect weather conditions.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Magnetic field robust high quality factor NbTiN superconducting microwave resonators

We systematically study the performance of compact lumped element planar microwave $\mathrm{Nb_{70}Ti_{30}N}$ (NbTiN) resonators operating at 5 GHz in external in-plane magnetic fields up to 440 mT, a broad temperature regime from 2.2 K up to 13 K, as well as mK temperatures. For comparison, the resonators have been fabricated on thermally oxidized and pristine, (001) oriented silicon substrates. When operating the resonators in the multi-photon regime at $T=2.2$ K, we find internal quality factors $Q_{\mathrm{int}}\simeq$ $2\cdot10^5$ for NbTiN resonators grown on pristine Si substrates, while resonators grown on thermally oxidized substrates show a reduced value of $Q_{\mathrm{int}}\simeq$ $1\cdot10^4$, providing evidence for additional loss channels for the latter substrate. In addition, we investigate the $Q$-factors of the resonators on pristine Si substrates at millikelvin temperatures to asses their applicability for quantum applications. We find $Q_{\mathrm{int}}\simeq$ $2\cdot10^5$ in the single photon regime and $Q_{\mathrm{int}}\simeq$ $5\cdot10^5$ in the high power regime at $T=7$ mK.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2021

Quantum Fourier Transform in Oscillating Modes

Quantum Fourier transform (QFT) is a key ingredient of many quantum algorithms where a considerable amount of ancilla qubits and gates are often needed to form a Hilbert space large enough for high-precision results. Qubit recycling reduces the number of ancilla qubits to one but imposes the requirement of repeated measurements and feedforward within the coherence time of the qubits. Moreover, recycling only applies to certain cases where QFT can be carried out in a semi-classical way. Here, we report a novel approach based on two harmonic resonators which form a high-dimensional Hilbert space for the realization of QFT. By employing the all-resonant and perfect state-transfer methods, we develop a protocol that transfers an unknown multi-qubit state to one resonator. QFT is performed by the free evolution of the two resonators with a cross-Kerr interaction. Then, the fully-quantum result can be localized in the second resonator by a projective measurement. Qualitative analysis shows that a 2^10-dimensional QFT can be realized in current superconducting quantum circuits which paves the way for implementing various quantum algorithms in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Tuning and Amplifying the Interactions in Superconducting Quantum Circuits with Subradiant Qubits

We propose a tunable coupler consisting of N fixed-frequency qubits, which can tune and even amplify the effective interaction between two superconducting quantum circuits. The tuning range of the interaction is proportional to N, with a minimum value of zero and a maximum that can exceed the physical coupling rates between the coupler and the circuits. The effective coupling rate is determined by the collective magnetic quantum number of the qubit ensemble, which takes only discrete values and is free from collective decay and decoherence. Using single-photon pi-pulses, the coupling rate can be switched between arbitrary choices of the initial and final values within the dynamic range in a single step without going through intermediate values. A cascade of the couplers for amplifying small interactions or weak signals is also discussed. These results should not only stimulate interest in exploring the collective effects in quantum information processing, but also enable development of applications in tuning and amplifying the interactions in a general cavity-QED system.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

The scattering coefficients of superconducting microwave resonators: I. Transfer-matrix approach

We describe a unified classical approach for analyzing the scattering coefficients of superconducting microwave resonators with a variety of geometries. To fill the gap between experiment and theory, we also consider the influences of small circuit asymmetry and the finite length of the feedlines, and describe a procedure to correct them in typical measurement results. We show that, similar to the transmission coefficient of a hanger-type resonator, the reflection coefficient of a necklace- or bridge-type resonator does also contain a reference point which can be used to characterize the electrical properties of a microwave resonator in a single step. Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of superconducting microwave resonators from the design concepts to the characterization details.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

The scattering coefficients of superconducting microwave resonators: II. System-bath approach

We describe a unified quantum approach for analyzing the scattering coefficients of superconducting microwave resonators with a variety of geometries. We also generalize the method to a chain of resonators with time delays, and reveal several transport properties similar to a photonic crystal. It is shown that both the quantum and classical analyses provide consistent results, and they together reveal different decay and decoherence mechanisms in a general microwave resonator. These results form a solid basis for understanding the scattering spectrums of networks of microwave resonators, and pave the way for applying superconducting microwave resonators in complex circuits.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2021

Mechanical frequency control in inductively coupled electromechanical systems

Nano-electromechanical systems implement the opto-mechanical interaction combining electromagnetic circuits and mechanical elements. We investigate an inductively coupled nano-electromechanical system, where a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) realizes the coupling. We show that the resonance frequency of the mechanically compliant string embedded into the SQUID loop can be controlled in two different ways: (i) the bias magnetic flux applied perpendicular to the SQUID loop, (ii) the magnitude of the in-plane bias magnetic field contributing to the nano-electromechanical coupling. These findings are quantitatively explained by the inductive interaction contributing to the effective spring constant of the mechanical resonator. In addition, we observe a residual field dependent shift of the mechanical resonance frequency, which we attribute to the finite flux pinning of vortices trapped in the magnetic field biased nanostring.

quant-ph↗