Characterization of Superconducting Quantum Transmission Line Metamaterials

The design, fabrication and microwave characterization of capacitive coupled aluminum (Al) coplanar waveguide (CPW) resonators are investigated. Microwave characterization is carried out through their power dependence, DC magnetic field dependence and temperature dependence of resonant properties. All of the Al resonators deposited on sapphire or silicon substrates showed the expected resonance modes, power dependent dissipation, DC field dependent and temperature dependent lossy behaviors. Unusual switching between states at high RF field is observed, probably due to two level system state switching at high power. The other loss mechanisms such as quasi-particles, and vortices moving in these half wavelength resonators, have also been studied. By coupling and manipulating three junction flux qubits in these resonators, one expects to explore fundamental aspects of artificial materials (meta-atoms) and study the collective behavior of a quantum metamaterial system.