Fabrication and characterization of ultra-low noise narrow and wide band Josephson parametric amplifiers

We have fabricated two types of lumped-element Josephson parameter amplifiers (JPAs) by using a multilayer micro-fabrication process involving wet etching of Al films. The first type is a narrow band JPA which shows typical gain above 14 dB in a bandwidth around 35 MHz. The second type is a wideband JPA which is coupled to an input 50 Ω transmission line via an impedance transformer that changes the impedance from about 15 Ω on the non-linear resonator side to 50 Ω on the input transmission line side. The wideband JPA could operate in a 200 MHz range with a gain higher than 14 dB. The amplifiers were used for superconducting qubit readout. The results showed that the signal to noise ratio and hence the readout fidelity were improved significantly.     

Fabrication of Josephson parameter amplifier and its applicationin squeezing vacuum fluctuations

Josephson parameter amplifier (JPA) is a microwave signal amplifier device with near-quantum-limit-noise performance. It has important applications in scientific research fields such as quantum computing and dark matter detection. This work reports the fabrication and characterization of broadband JPA devices and their applications in multi-qubit readout and squeezing of vacuum state. We use a process in which transmission lines and electrodes are made of niobium thin film and aluminum Josephson junctions are made by Dolan bridge technique. We believe this process is more convenient than the process we used previously. The whole production process adopts electron beam lithography technology to ensure high structural resolution. The test result shows that the gain value of the manufactured JPA can exceed 15 dB, and the amplification bandwidth is about 400 MHz. The noise temperature is about 400 mK at the working frequency of 6.2 GHz. The devices have been successfully used in experiments involving superconducting multi-qubit quantum processors. Furthermore, the device is applied to squeeze vacuum fluctuations and a squeezing level of 1.635 dB is achieved.     

Vacuum-gap-based lumped element Josephson parametric amplifier

We propose a lumped element Josephson parametric amplifier with vacuum-gap-based capacitor.The capacitor is made of quasi-floating aluminum pad and on-chip ground.We take a fabrication process compatible with air-bridge technology,which makes our design adaptable for future on-chip integrated quantum computing system.Further engineering the input impedance,we obtain a gain above 20 dB over 162-MHz bandwidth,along with a quasi quantum-limit noise performance.This work should facilitate the development of quantum information processing and integrated superconducting circuit design.     

Peculiarities of rf SQUID response in finite magnetic fields

Single-layer washer-type high-T_c YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x rf SQUIDs with grain-boundary Josephson junctions, as well as low-T_c Nb rf SQUIDs with Nb–Al₂O₃–Nb tunnel junctions, have been investigated in finite magnetic fields. It was shown experimentally that the suppression of the critical current of the Josephson junction due to the magnetic field leads to a modulation of the amplitude of the SQUID output signal. The role of the “unwanted” junction in high-T_c rf SQUIDs, which is formed by the grain boundary running through the washer of the SQUIDs on bicrystal substrates, has also been clarified. The drop of the SQUID signal at a finite magnetic field is originated by the penetration of the magnetic field into the unwanted junction. Based on these results, a direct radio-frequency method for the determination of the first critical field H_c1 for long Josephson junctions has been developed.     

超导量子器件片上皮法电容的制备及测量

片上集成电容是超导量子芯片上的核心器件，其数值一般在百飞法(fF)至皮法(pF)范围.采用常规微纳加工技术在蓝宝石基片上制备了铌-氧化硅-铝(Nb/SiO₂/Al)平行板电容.利用刻蚀工艺制备了平行板电容器的下极板Nb,利用剥离工艺制备平行板电容器的上极板Al和介电层SiO₂.室温下利用锁相放大原理和桥式电路原理测定电容大小，两种方法测定电容值基本一致，表明锁相放大原理测试pF级电容的可靠性.利用该电容与铝基约瑟夫森结组成谐振器，制备了中心频率位于4.35 GHz的约瑟夫森参量放大器.在稀释制冷机中10 mK温度下测定直流偏置谐振器的磁通-频率相位图，拟合数据获得的电容值与室温测定电容值接近，表明在mK、GHz条件下工作的片上集成电容可在室温、kHz条件下测定其数值大小.     

用于精密测量玻尔兹曼常数的量子电压噪声源芯片研制

量子噪声温度计系统可通过比较导体中电子运动的热噪声和量子电压参考噪声精密测量玻尔兹曼常数,其中量子电压噪声源所合成的量子电压参考噪声由一组超导约瑟夫森结阵产生.本文详细介绍了基于Nb/Nb_xSi_(1-x)/Nb约瑟夫森结的量子电压噪声源芯片的设计、制备及测试;采用脉冲驱动模式,合成了具有量子精度的100 kHz交流量子电压信号.结果表明:本文所研制的噪声温度计核心芯片已具备了合成交流电压的功能,可为后续玻尔兹曼常数精密定值、重新定义及复现热力学温度研究提供核心器件.     

An easily-prepared impedance matched Josephson parametric amplifier

An impedance matched parametric amplifier (IMPA) with Josephson junctions is fabricated and characterized. A hybrid structure containing coplanar and strip structures is implemented to realize an impedance taper line and a plate capacitor in an LC nonlinear resonator based on Josephson junctions. The upper plate of the capacitor is isolated with SiN_x without grounding as well as the strips. Such easily-prepared designs greatly reduce the requirements for lithography alignment and precision, which makes the fabrication process more reliable. The experimental results show that in such IMPA a gain higher than 25 dB with a bandwidth of about 100 MHz can be obtained. This broadband amplifier operates close to the quantum limit. By adjusting the working point, a higher bandwidth of about 400 MHz can be obtained with a gain of about 17 dB.     

Raman-noise-induced noise-figure limit for chi(3) parametric amplifiers

The nonzero response time of the Kerr [chi(3)] nonlinearity determines the quantum-limited noise figure of chi(3) parametric amplifiers. This nonzero response time of the nonlinearity requires coupling of the parametric amplification process to a molecular-vibration phonon bath, causing the addition of excess noise through Raman gain or loss at temperatures above 0 K. The effect of this excess noise on the noise figure can be surprisingly significant. We derive analytical expressions for this quantum-limited noise figure for phase-insensitive operation of a chi(3) amplifier and show good agreement with published noise-figure measurements.     

高温超导混频器噪声系数测量

基于小型脉冲管制冷机,建立了以Josephson结为混频器的高温超导混频系统,并以Y-因子测量方法为基础,建立了与之配套的噪声系数测量系统。测量出以Josephson结为混频器的超导混频系统的噪声系数。在最好的情况下,测量的噪声系数值为5.50dB。     

Generation of entangled TEM_(01) modes with periodically poled KTiOPO_4 crystal

Spatial quantum optics based on the high-order transverse mode is important for the super-resolution measurement and quantum image beyond the shot noise level. Quantum entanglement of the transverse plane Hermite–Gauss TEM_(01) mode has been demonstrated experimentally in this paper. Two squeezed TEM_(01) modes, which are generated by a pair of degenerate optical parametric amplifiers(DOPA) with the nonlinear crystals of periodically poled KTi OPO_4, have been combined to produce TEM_(01) mode entanglement using a beam splitter. The 1.5 dB for the sum of amplitude and 1.2 dB for the difference of phase below shot-noise level is achieved with the measurement system of a Bell state detection.     

用于电压基准的Nb/NbxSi1-x/Nb约瑟夫森单结的研制

现代可编程约瑟夫森电压基准的核心器件是约瑟夫森结阵.目前最具有优势的约瑟夫森结阵是 Nb/Nb_xSi_1-x/Nb材料的结阵. Nb/Nb_xSi_1-x/Nb材料的约瑟夫森结 具有三层薄膜的制作过程简便, Nb和Nb_xSi_1-x刻蚀工艺相同以及Nb_xSi_1-x 势垒层成分可调等优点.中国计量科学研究院设计制作了Nb/Nb_xSi_1-x/Nb约瑟夫森单结. 通过在4.2 K低温下对所做单结进行直流电流-电压特性测量,观测到了清晰的超导隧穿电流和 从零电压态向电压态的跳变,最后就测量结果进行了分析讨论.此项工作属于国内首个开展 Nb/Nb_xSi_1-x/Nb材料约瑟夫森单结研究的工作.     

Realization and properties of ramp-type YBa2Cu3O7−δ/Au/Nb junctions

All-thin-film ramp type Josephson junctions between YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ and Nb have been fabricated. This procedure allows connections between high-T_c and low-T_c superconductors at different crystal sides of the high-T_c superconductor on one chip, which is of great interest for novel phase devices. A thin Au layer is incorporated as a chemical barrier to avoid oxygen transfer from the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ to the Nb. Critical current densities up to 600 A/cm² are obtained at T=4.2 K, with typical R_nA values of 0.8 μΩ cm². The variation of the magnetic field dependence of the critical current with the angle between the junction barrier and the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ crystal axes is explained by considering a predominant d_x²−y² order parameter symmetry of the YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ. The successful fabrication of these junctions allows the implementation of novel superconducting electronics, such as complementary Josephson circuitry or proposed qubit concepts, using the unconventional order parameter symmetry of the high-T_c superconductor.     

Fundamentals of optical amplifiers

The minimum noise figure of linear phase-insensitive amplifiers is 3 dB, according to the constraint of the uncertainty principle. Laser amplifiers, parametric amplifiers and Raman amplifiers obey the general quantum limit in an ideal case. A degenerate parametric amplifier is a phase-sensitive linear amplifier, and thus is a noiseless amplifier with a noise figure of 0 dB. The noise figure degradation in a practical amplifier and the signal-to-noise ratio design of an optical amplifier system are presented. Several other amplifier characteristics, such as signal gain, frequency bandwidth and saturation output power, are also discussed.     

具有Washer型输入线圈的超导量子干涉放大器的制备与表征

超导量子干涉仪(SQUID)放大器具有低输入阻抗、低噪声、低功耗等优点, 目前被广泛用于微弱信号的检测领域. 与其他工艺相比, Nb/Al-AlO_x/Nb结构的约瑟夫森结具有相对较高的转变温度(T_c)、高的磁通电压调制系数以及良好的热循环能力、较宽的临界电流范围, 因此是制备SQUID放大器的很好选择. 设计并制作了欠阻尼、过阻尼约瑟夫森结以及具有Washer型输入线圈的单SQUID放大器, 通过在He³制冷机3 K温区下对器件电流-电压特性进行测量, 得到良好的结I-V特性曲线、SQUID调制特性, 初步实现利用SQUID进行放大作用, 并计算了SQUID的电流分辨率. 此项工作对于超导转变边沿传感器读出电路的实现具有重要的意义.     

Fabrication of high-quality submicron Nb/Al--AlOx/Nb tunnel junctions

Nb/Al-AlOx/Nb tunnel junctions are often used in the studies of macroscopic quantum phenomena and superconducting qubit applications of the Josephson devices. In this work, we describe a convenient and reliable process using electron beam lithography for the fabrication of high-quality, submicron-sized Nb/Al-AlOx/Nb Josephson junctions. The technique follows the well-known selective Nb etching process and produces high-quality junctions with Vm=100 mV at 2.3 K for the typical critical current density of 2.2 kA/cm^2, which can be adjusted by controlling the oxygen pressure and oxidation time during the formation of the tunnelling barrier. We present the results of the temperature dependence of the sub-gap current and in-plane magnetic-field dependence of the critical current, and compare them with the theoretical predictions.     

Quantum state tomography of an itinerant squeezed microwave field

We perform state tomography of an itinerant squeezed state of the microwave field prepared by a Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA). We use a second JPA as a preamplifier to improve the quantum efficiency of the field quadrature measurement from 2% to 36%±4%. Without correcting for the detection inefficiency we observe a minimum quadrature variance which is 68(-7)(+9)% of the variance of the vacuum. We reconstruct the state's density matrix by a maximum likelihood method and infer that the squeezed state has a minimum variance less than 40% of the vacuum, with uncertainty mostly caused by calibration systematics.     

Quantum noise minimization in transistor amplifiers

General quantum restrictions on the noise performance of linear transistor amplifiers are used to identify the region in parameter space where the quantum-limited performance is achievable and to construct a practical procedure for approaching it experimentally using only the knowledge of directly measurable quantities: the gain, (differential) conductance, and the output noise. A specific example of resonant barrier transistors is discussed.     

Asymmetric double-barrier S–I1–N–I2–S Josephson heterojunctions: experiment and theory

Double-barrier highly asymmetric Nb–Al oxide–Al–Nb oxide–Nb structures with reproducible characteristics were fabricated. The heterocontacts with the middle Al layer thickness ranging from 4 to 6 nm exhibited a well-defined d.c. Josephson supercurrent I_c at 4.2 K and characteristic voltages V_c=I_cR_N (R_N is the normal resistance, V_c defines the response time of the junction) from 0.3 to 0.4 mV. Two prominent features in the quasiparticle current–voltage curves have been observed: a so-called ‘knee' in the energy-gap region and an additional (to the linear voltage dependence) current at higher biases. They are discussed within a simple Landauer–Büttiker scattering approach to the phase-coherent quasiparticle transport in a quasiballistic S–I₁–N–I₂–S heterostructure with an extremely great difference between the barrier transparencies.     

Nb/Au/(1 1 0)YBa2Cu3O7−δ Josephson junctions: evidence against atomic scaled “corner junctions”

We report on I–V characteristics for in situ formed Nb/Au/(1 1 0)YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (YBCO) Josephson junction, where the homoepitaxial (1 1 0)YBCO film shows ultra-smooth surface morphology. The field dependence of critical supercurrent I_c shows anisotropic large junction behavior with normal Fraunhofer patterns expected from BCS model of d_x²−y² wave superconductors. This strongly suggests that the Nb/Au/(1 1 0)YBCO junctions cannot be regarded as atomic scaled corner junctions, in contrast with (0 0 1)/(1 1 0)YBCO grain boundary junctions to show “π-junction” with a pronounced dip near zero fields in field modulation of I_c.     

Giant shot-like voltage noise in high current density Nb–AlOx–Nb superconducting tunnel junctions

The flat voltage noise component of current biased, high-transparency Nb/AlO_x/Nb superconducting tunnel junctions has been investigated at frequencies up to 70 kHz. Several aspects of the analyzed phenomena suggest the presence of current noise effects induced by the discreteness of the charge carriers. At subgap voltages, where excess currents occur, a behavior coherent with a multiple Andreev reflection-assisted transport through the tunnel barrier has been found. However, the measured charge values exceed any theoretical prediction.