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Investigating the mechanism of single-electron tunneling in charge-parity-sensitive transmons

ORAL

Abstract

Single-electron tunneling across Josephson junctions in superconducting qubits contributes to decoherence and limits qubit performance. In the past, such decoherence was exclusively attributed to pre-existing non-equilibrium quasiparticles that tunnel across junctions and exchange energy with the qubit. However, it was recently predicted that high-frequency photons can be efficiently absorbed in transmon Josephson junctions and induce single-electron tunneling. This process requires no pre-existing quasiparticles; in fact it generates two quasiparticles and, in doing so, can change the qubit state. Past measurements of single-electron tunneling-induced excitation and relaxation in charge-parity-sensitive transmons were consistent with photon-assisted tunneling. Here, we will present theoretical and experimental results demonstrating that adding flux-tunability to a charge-parity-sensitive transmon can distinguish the contributions of different single-electron tunneling processes in our devices.

Presenters

  • Spencer Diamond

    TU Delft, Yale University, Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

Authors

  • Spencer Diamond

    TU Delft, Yale University, Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

  • Valla Fatemi

    Yale University, Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

  • Max Hays

    Yale University, Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

  • Kyle Serniak

    MIT Lincoln Lab, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, MIT-Lincoln Lab, Lincoln Laboratory, MIT, MIT - Lincoln Laboratory

  • Luigi Frunzio

    Applied Physics Department, Yale University, Yale University, Applied Physics, Yale University, Department of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

  • Robert J Schoelkopf

    Yale University, Applied Physics, Yale University, Department of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

  • Leonid Glazman

    Yale University, Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University

  • Michel Devoret

    Yale University, Applied Physics Department, Yale University, Yale, Department of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University, Applied Physics, Yale University, Departments of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University