arXiv subjects

James Saslow

Publications and source records attributed to James Saslow.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Localized Covariant Quantities Appear To Underlie Quantum Circuits

Although entangled state vectors cannot be fully described in terms of variables localized in space and time, any given entanglement experiment can be built from basic quantum circuit components with well-defined locations. We analyze such quantum circuits and present evidence that the local weak values comprise a covariant tensor associated with each individual qubit. Even if the state is massively entangled, these tensors do not evolve or collapse when other qubits are measured or pass through distant circuit elements. They can therefore be viewed from different reference frames without contradiction. Furthermore, their evolution through any circuit always obeys covariant dynamical rules. Weak values are subject to both past and future constraints, so the covariant quantities can only be determined by considering the entire circuit "all-at-once", as in action principles, incorporating the future measurement basis to avoid the standard no-go theorems. Because these results hold for a set of universal quantum gates, this work lends support to the claim that any quantum circuit can be assigned a realistic, lower-level description compatible with our understanding of classical spacetime.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Graduate Training in Quantum Information Science and Engineering: Lessons, Challenges, and a Roadmap from the NSF Research Traineeship Programs

Since 2019, eighteen NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) awards in quantum information science and engineering (QISE) and adjacent fields have been funded, constituting the largest NSF-coordinated investment in graduate QISE training in the United States. Synthesizing lessons from our programs, we work through the central tensions that every QISE graduate program must negotiate: between depth in a home discipline and breadth across the field, between structured instruction and open-ended experiential and hands-on learning, and between training individual specialists and cultivating teams that collectively cover all areas of QISE. We describe the structural and pedagogical innovations the NRT programs have developed in response, assess what is working and what remains unresolved, and sketch 12 open problems the community will need to address as QISE graduate education scales beyond the well-resourced research universities where it has up till now been mainly concentrated. Eight concrete recommendations follow: (1) adopt the startup model of team-based training as an organizing philosophy; (2) invest immediately in sensing and communication curriculum development; (3) build student agency into program governance, not just activities; (4) establish structural mechanisms for industrial engagement rather than depending on goodwill; (5) design for sustainability from year one; (6) develop graduate-level textbooks spanning all three QISE pillars: computing, sensing, and communications; (7) establish shared outcome assessment instruments across programs; and (8) develop structured mechanisms for faculty professional development in QISE.

physics.ed-ph↗

arXiv2025

Analysis of a 3D Integrated Superconducting Quantum Chip Structure

This work presents a combined analytical and simulation-based study of a 3D-integrated quantum chip architecture. We model a flip-chip-inspired structure by stacking two superconducting qubits fabricated on separate high-resistivity silicon substrates through a dielectric interlayer. Utilizing \emph{rigorous} Ansys High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) simulations and analytical models from microwave engineering and quantum theory, we evaluate key quantum metrics such as eigenfrequencies, Q-factors, decoherence times, anharmonicity, cross-Kerr, participation ratios, and qubit coupling energy to describe the performance of the quantum device as a function of integration parameters. The integration parameters include the thickness and the quality of the dielectric interlayer. For detuned qubits, these metrics remain mostly invariant with respect to the substrate separation. However, introducing dielectric interlayer loss decreases the qubit quality factor, which consequentially degrades the relaxation time of the qubit. It is found that for the structure studied in this work, the stacked chip distance can be as small as $0.5 \text{mm}$. These findings support the viability of 3D quantum integration as a scalable alternative to planar architectures, while identifying key limitations in qubit coherence preservation due to lossy interlayer materials.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2024

A Localized Reality Appears To Underpin Quantum Circuits

Although entangled state vectors cannot be described in terms of classically realistic variables, localized in space and time, any given entanglement experiment can be built from basic quantum circuit components with well-defined locations. By analyzing the (local) weak values for any given run of a quantum circuit, we present evidence for a localized account of any circuit's behavior. Specifically, even if the state is massively entangled, the weak values are found to evolve only when they pass through a local circuit element. They otherwise remain constant and do not evolve when other qubits pass through their circuit elements. A further surprise is found when two qubits are brought together in an exchange interaction, as their weak values then evolve according to a simple classical equation. The weak values are subject to both past and future constraints, so they can only be determined by considering the entire circuit "all-at-once", as in action principles. In the context of a few basic quantum gates, we show how an all-at-once model of a complete circuit could generate weak values without using state vectors as an intermediate step. Since these gates comprise a universal quantum gate set, this lends support to the claim that any quantum circuit can plausibly be underpinned by localized variables, providing a realistic, lower-level account of generic quantum systems.

quant-ph↗