arXiv subjects

Joachim Ankerhold

Publications and source records attributed to Joachim Ankerhold.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Controlling rotations of magnetically levitated superconductors

Magnetically trapped type-I superconductors are promising candidates for precision experiments at the quantum-to-classical borderline, with applications in quantum sensing of forces and accelerations and fundamental tests of quantum physics. Here, we show how the rotational motion of micron-sized superconductors is strongly affected by (i) the diamagnetic torques due to the gradient of the trapping field and by (ii) the gyromagnetic coupling due to Einstein-de Haas and Barnett effects. We show that this allows the three-dimensional alignment of asperhical superconductors in the trap center, as required for future sensing applications and quantum experiments, and determine the resulting librational trapping frequencies. Finally, we propose an experiment to probe gyromagnetic coupling in levitated superconductors and we discuss how it can be used to control the particle rotation.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

The QTF-Backbone: Proposal for a Nationwide Optical Fibre Backbone in Germany for Quantum Technology and Time and Frequency Metrology

The recent breakthroughs in the distribution of quantum information and high-precision time and frequency (T&F) signals over long-haul optical fibre networks have transformative potential for physically secure communications, resilience of timing infrastructure (such as that supporting Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)) and fundamental physics. To date, these capabilities remain confined to isolated testbeds, with quantum and T&F signals accessible, for example in Germany, to only a few institutions. In this white paper we propose the QTF Backbone: a dedicated national fibre-optic infrastructure in Germany for the networked distribution of Quantum and T&F signals using dark fibres and specialised hardware. The QTF Backbone is planned as a four-phase deployment over ten years to ensure scalable, sustainable access for research institutions and industry. The concept builds on successful demonstrations of time and frequency distribution at high Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) across Europe, including PTB-MPQ links in Germany, REFIMEVE in France, and the Italian LIFT network. The QTF Backbone will enable transformative Research and Development (R&D), support a nationwide QTF ecosystem, and ensure the transition from innovation to deployment. As a national and European hub, it will position Germany and Europe at the forefront of quantum networking, as well as T&F transfer.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2026

Unconventional Thermalization of a Three-Wave-Mixing Model

Understanding the boundaries between quantum thermalization and localization in many-body systems remains a central frontier of condensed matter and quantum information science. In this work, we investigate the dynamics and spectral properties of a generic model with long-range three-body-interaction, namely, a system with non-local three-wave-mixing. This model has been realized recently with a microwave Fabry-Perot cavity terminated on one end by a superconducting qubit mirror. Utilizing exact diagonalization techniques, we uncover a striking paradox: the global energy level spacing statistics show integrability, even though all dynamic observables and inverse participation ratios of the eigenstates indicate ergodicity and delocalization. We show that this behavior is a hallmark of strong Hilbert space fragmentation driven by kinematic constraints rather than an explicit global symmetry. Inside these sectors, dynamics scramble rapidly, as evidenced by the out-of-time-ordered correlator (OTOC), while global transport is heavily bottlenecked, resulting in a logarithmic relaxation to equilibrium. This picture is further confirmed by fluctuations in eigenstate entanglement entropy at the same energy. Finally, we demonstrate that the late time OTOC average scales with system size, providing a distinct experimentally accessible signature of the underlying three-body kinetic bottlenecks.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Diode Effect in Nonlinear High-Kinetic-Inductance Transmission Line Resonators

High-kinetic-inductance (HKI) transmission lines provide a promising platform for compact nonlinear superconducting microwave devices. Existing theoretical descriptions are typically based on the slowly varying envelope approximation, which becomes inadequate for strongly nonlinear resonant structures with pronounced spatial field variations. Here, we develop a theoretical framework for single-frequency nonlinear wave propagation in HKI transmission lines by formulating the problem as a boundary value problem that retains the full spatial dependence of the electromagnetic fields. Applying the method to resonant transmission-line geometries, we demonstrate power-dependent resonance shifts, bistable transmission solutions, and strongly direction-dependent transport arising from asymmetric impedance barriers, yielding transmission contrasts of up to $93\%$ without magnetic bias fields. The framework is further extended to a three-port stub geometry, where nonlinear interference produces shifted anti-resonances and Duffing-like spectral distortions. Our approach provides a versatile tool for the analysis and design of strongly nonlinear superconducting microwave devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Continuous Tuning of the Charge-Phase Uncertainty in a Josephson Junction

Quantum mechanics constrains conjugate observables from being simultaneously measurable with arbitrary precision. In a Josephson junction, these are the transferred electric charge and the quantum-mechanical phase difference between the superconducting domains. Which of them fluctuates determines the supercurrent: a dissipative trickle of single Cooper pairs in one limit, a coherent dissipationless flow in the other. Bridging both regimes in one device remained elusive because the Josephson and charging energies are fixed at fabrication. Here, we use the tunable tunnel junction of a scanning tunneling microscope at millikelvin temperature to vary their ratio continuously over many orders of magnitude. In this way, we monitor the smooth transition between incoherent and coherent Cooper pair flow in a single junction, revealing the quantum-to-classical transition in a controlled way.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2026

Observation of period doubling and higher multiplicities in a driven single-spin system

One of the prime features of quantum systems strongly driven by external time-periodic fields is the subharmonic response with integer multiples of the drive period $k\, T_d$ due to long-lived interference. Here, we demonstrate experimentally, based on a careful theoretical analysis, period doubling and higher multiplicities ($k=2,\ldots 5$) for one of the most fundamental systems, namely, an individual spin $1/2$. Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond support sufficiently stable coherent dynamics owing to long coherence times and allow for optical addressability of their spin states. This allows to monitor coherent period $k$-tupling oscillations over a broad set of driving parameters in the vicinity of the ideal manifolds. In this domain, superimposed low-frequency modulations serve as unique proxy for the approach toward period $k$-tupling.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Anomalous Dissipation in Current Biased Josephson Systems

A new phase diffusive regime in a current biased Josephson junction is theoretically explored which originates from embedding the junction in a circuit environment with anomalous dissipation. This is realized by placing parallel to the junction a resistor in series with a capacitor such that electromagnetic fluctuations effectively couple also to the charge of the junction. This leads to rich Josephson dynamics, in particular for the switching of the junction out of a zero voltage state. Modelled as the escape process of a fictitious phase-particle out of a metastable well, a detailed study reveals that anomalous dissipation has a strong impact at low temperatures when quantum tunneling dominates against thermal activation. As a manifestation, a regime is found, where for realistic circuit parameters the quantum escape process is substantially enhanced, followed by a short voltage pulse and re-trapping with high probability. This class of circuits may be leveraged for detecting microwave photons or dissipative quantum annealing processes. In addition, the analysis provides a general framework for engineering dissipative dynamics in nonlinear systems using anomalous environments.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2026

Entanglement dynamics and performance of two-qubit gates for superconducting qubits under non-Markovian effects

Within a numerically exact simulation technique, the dissipative dynamics of a two-qubit architecture is considered in which each qubit couples to its individual noise source (reservoir). The goal is to reveal the role of subtle qubit-reservoir correlations including non-Markovian processes as a prerequisite to guide further improvements of quantum computing devices. This paper addresses the following three topics. First, we examine the validity of the rotating wave approximation imposed previously on the qubit-reservoir coupling with respect to the disentanglement dynamics. Second, generation of the entanglement as well as destruction are analyzed by monitoring the reduced dynamics during and after application of a $\sqrt{\mbox{iSWAP}^\dagger}$ gate, also focusing on memory effects caused by reservoirs. Finally, the performance of a Hadamard + CNOT sequence is analyzed for different gate decomposition schemes. In all three cases, various types of noise sources and qubit parameters are considered.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Stroboscopic detection of itinerant microwave photons

We present a novel scheme to detect itinerant microwave radiation at the single photon level. Using existing Josephson-photonics devices, where two microwave cavities are coupled by a dc-voltage biased superconducting junction, we theoretically show how to implement a stroboscopically repeated, near-projective measurement of a photon impinging on one of the cavities. Optimizing rate, duration, and strength of the measurement by flux control of the junction and developing a threshold protocol to detect the photon from a homodyne measurement of the radiation output of the other cavity, we achieve highly efficient detection with low dark counts. By cascading the detector with a preamplifier, where a similar two-cavity Josephson-photonics device acts as a photon multiplier, we can further improve the device to reach a detection efficiency of $88.5 \%$ with a dark count rate of $\sim10^{-4} γ_a$, set by the resonance width $γ_a$ of the absorbing cavity. These results for a multiplication factor of two suggest that near-unity efficiencies may be reached for higher multiplication factors.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Dressed-State Optomechanics in the Few-Photon Regime

Efficient optomechanical cooling typically requires high photon occupancy to maximize cooling power, a constraint that generally limits the degree of coherent quantum control available in the few-photon regime. Here, we investigate this trade-off by considering a strongly nonlinear cavity operated as a discrete quantum system. In the weak-coupling limit, we derive a general connection between the optomechanical damping rate and the cavity's dressed-state manifold. This framework reveals that the damping rate (determined by the population imbalance across dressed states) is directly tunable via the coherent manipulation tools which are standard in circuit quantum electrodynamics. We illustrate this framework using a Josephson photonics architecture, where a dc-biased junction induces a photon blockade that truncates the cavity to an $N$-level system. By sacrificing raw cooling (or heating) power, this platform enables full quantum mechanical control over optomechanical properties, offering a versatile avenue for the quantum manipulation of mechanical modes.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2026

Enhancing the Energy Resolution in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: from dynamical Coulomb blockade to cavity quantum electrodynamics

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy have become indispensable tools for probing condensed matter at atomic length scales, yet achieving ultimate energy resolution remains a persistent challenge. At mK temperatures, the dynamical Coulomb blockade regime fundamentally limits spectroscopic precision through energy exchange between tunneling electrons and the electromagnetic environment. Here, we demonstrate that combining local electromagnetic shielding with low-pass filtering directly at the cryogenic scan head improves the energy resolution by nearly an order of magnitude, reaching benchmark values as low as 3.7$μ$eV at 10mK. We attribute this enhancement to efficient suppression of high-frequency radiation and capacitive shunting of the tunnel junction. Remarkably, this improved sensitivity reveals that the Josephson current couples to electromagnetic cavity modes of the centimeter-scale scan head, establishing a direct connection between atomic-scale tunneling processes and macroscopic cavity quantum electrodynamics. These advances open pathways for exploring ultra-low-energy phenomena with unprecedented precision.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Tailored Error Mitigation for Single-Qubit Magnetometry

Quantum sensing is an emerging field with the potential to outperform classical methods in both precision and spatial resolution. However, the sensitivity of the underlying quantum platform also makes the sensors highly susceptible to their environmental noise. To address this issue, techniques from the field of quantum error mitigation use information about the noise to improve measurement results. We present a novel mitigation technique for quantum sensors to efficiently reverse the effects of any noise that can be described by a completely positive trace preserving map. The method leverages the knowledge acquired by a pre-characterization step of the device to automatically adapt to the complexity of the dissipative evolution and to indicate optimal sensing times $τ$ to achieve the most accurate results. We demonstrate that our method reaches the best achievable sensitivity in noisy single-NV-center magnetometry. This work marks a further step toward more resilient quantum sensors with the smallest scale of resolution.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Optomechanical Cooling without Residual Heating

Resolved-sideband cooling is a standard technique in cavity optomechanics enabling quantum control of mechanical motion, but its performance is ultimately limited by quantum backaction heating. This fundamental effect imposes a limit on the minimum achievable mechanical phonon number, establishing a finite-temperature floor regardless of the applied cooling strength. We generalize the semi-classical model for optomechanical cooling to describe universal cavity Hamiltonians incorporating both passive and active nonlinearities. As a concrete demonstration, we analyze the simplest circuit optomechanical system that implements a nonlinear drive via a Josephson junction. Our analysis reveals that this active nonlinear drive can eliminate the residual heating backaction, thereby comparing favorably with alternative optomechanical cooling schemes based on passive nonlinearities arXiv:2202.13228. By successfully overcoming the finite-temperature floor that limits conventional schemes, our method paves the way for unprecedented quantum control over mechanical systems and establishes the experimental viability of zero-heating optomechanical cooling.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Fast initialization of Bell states with Schrödinger cats in multi-mode systems

Schrödinger cat states play an important role for applications in continuous variable quantum information technologies. As macroscopic superpositions they are inherently protected against certain types of noise making cat qubits a promising candidate for quantum computing. It has been shown recently that cat states occur naturally in driven Kerr parametric oscillators (KPOs) as degenerate ground states with even and odd parity that are adiabatically connected to the respective lowest two Fock states by switching off the drive. To perform operations with several cat qubits one crucial task is to create entanglement between them. Here, we demonstrate efficient transformations of multi-mode cat states through adiabatic and diabatic switching between Kerr-type Hamiltonians with degenerate ground state manifolds. These transformations can be used to directly initialize the cats as entangled Bell states in contrast to initializing them from entangled Fock states.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Quantum Coherence in Superconducting Vortex States

Abrikosov vortices, where the superconducting gap is completely suppressed in the core, are dissipative, semi-classical entities that impact applications from high-current-density wires to superconducting quantum devices. In contrast, we present evidence that vortices trapped in granular superconducting films can behave as two-level systems, exhibiting microsecond-range quantum coherence and energy relaxation times that reach fractions of a millisecond. These findings support recent theoretical modeling of superconductors with granularity on the scale of the coherence length as tunnel junction networks, resulting in gapped vortices. Using the tools of circuit quantum electrodynamics, we perform coherent manipulation and quantum non-demolition readout of vortex states in granular aluminum microwave resonators, heralding new directions for quantum information processing, materials characterization, and sensing.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Amplification and Detection of Single Itinerant Microwave Photons

Single-photon detectors are an essential part of the toolbox of modern quantum optics for implementing quantum technologies and enabling tests of fundamental physics. The low energy of microwave photons, the natural signal path for superconducting quantum devices, makes their detection much harder than for visible light. Despite impressive progress in recent years and the proposal and realization of a number of different detector architectures, the reliable detection of a single itinerant microwave photon remains an open topic. Here, we investigate and simulate a detailed protocol for single-photon multiplication and subsequent amplification and detection. At its heart lies a Josephson-photonics device which uses inelastic Cooper-pair tunneling driven by a dc bias in combination with the energy of an incoming photon to create multiple photons, thus compensating for the low-energy problem. Our analysis provides clear design guidelines for utilizing such devices, which have previously been operated in an amplifier mode with a continuous wave input, for counting photons. Combining a formalism recently developed by Mølmer to describe the full quantum state of in- and outgoing photon pulses with stochastic Schrödinger equations, we can describe the full multiplication and detection protocol and calculate performance parameters, such as detection probabilities and dark count rates. With optimized parameters, a high population of a single output mode can be achieved that can then be easily distinguished from vacuum noise in heterodyne measurements of quadratures with a conventional linear amplifier. Realistic devices with two multiplication stages with multiplication of $16$ reach for an impinging Gaussian pulse of length $T$ a detection probability of $84.5\%$ with a dark count rate of $10^{-3}/T$, and promise to outperform competing schemes.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Quantum and classical Shapiro steps in small Josephson junctions

We propose a model describing the formation of both dual (quantum) and classical Shapiro steps in small Josephson junctions. According to this model, the dual Shapiro steps are formed at relatively low frequency of the microwave signal and low microwave power, while the classical steps are formed in the opposite limit of high frequency and power. The crossover between the two regimes is controlled by a single parameter - the effective relaxation time of the environment. The model accounts for the effect of a large inductor in the bias circuit, which has been used in recent experiments to protect the junction from the high frequency noise of the environment. We predict the possibility of observing both types of steps in the same sample. Our model describes the I-V curves observed in the experiments with reasonable accuracy, thus opening up an opportunity for quantitative fitting of the data.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2025

Photonic Qubit Gates via 1D Scattering from an Array of Two-Level Emitters

Photonic quantum computing offers a promising platform for quantum information processing, benefiting from the long coherence times of photons and their ease of manipulation. This paper presents a scheme for implementing a deterministic phase gate for dual-rail number encoded photonic qubits, leveraging a standard 1D waveguide coupled to an array of two-level emitters (TLE). Using a transfer matrix approach, we develop a protocol for deterministic phase gate operation, demonstrating its robustness against non-waveguide mode coupling and disorder. Finally, we relax the idealized assumption of monochromatic light, considering finite-bandwidth pulses. Despite these realistic considerations, our results indicate high fidelity for the proposed phase gate protocol. Finally we will discuss two qubit operations.

quant-ph↗