Superconducting tunable coupler

• US 9,647,662 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2016
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Abutaleb, Mohamed O., Przybysz, Anthony Joseph, Strand, Joel D., Naaman, Ofer
• Primary Examiner(s): Crawford, Jason M
• Application Number:
  US15/192,756
• Time in Patent Office: 319 Days
• Field of Search: 326 1- 5
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 10/00 Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/0005 Modifications of input or output impedance
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/017545 Coupling arrangements; Impedance matching circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1952 with electro-magnetic coupling of the control current

Abstract

A superconducting system is provided that includes a coplanar superconducting circuit. The coplanar superconducting circuit includes a first ground plane region, a second ground plane region electrically isolated from the first ground plane region by portions of the coplanar superconducting circuit, and a tunable coupler having a first port and a second port. The tunable coupler comprises a variable inductance coupling element coupled between the first port and the second port, a first termination inductor having a first end coupled between a first end of the variable inductance element and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region, and a second termination inductor having a first end coupled between a second end of the variable inductance element and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region.

Claims

1. A superconducting system comprising:

a coplanar superconducting circuit comprising;

a first ground plane region;

a second ground plane region electrically isolated from the first ground plane region by portions of the coplanar superconducting circuit; and

a tunable coupler having a first port and a second port, the tunable coupler comprising;

a variable inductance coupling element coupled between the first port and the second port;

a first termination inductor having a first end coupled between a first end of the variable inductance element and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region; and

a second termination inductor having a first end coupled between a second end of the variable inductance element and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the variable inductance coupling element comprises one or more Josephson junctions.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first termination inductor is coupled to a first port of the tunable coupler and the second termination inductor is coupled to the second port of the tunable coupler.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the variable inductance coupling element is a Josephson junction, and further comprising a third termination inductor having a first end coupled between the first end of the Josephson junction and the first port and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region, and a fourth termination inductor having a first end coupled between the second end of the Josephson junction and the second port and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region, wherein the equivalent inductance of the first and third termination inductors, the Josephson junction and the equivalent inductance of the second and fourth termination inductors combine to form an RF SQUID.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a fifth inductor having a first end coupled between the Josephson junction a second end coupled between the second termination inductor and the fourth termination inductor and the second port, wherein the equivalent inductance of the first and third termination inductors, the Josephson junction and the equivalent inductance of the second and fourth termination inductors and fifth inductor combine to form an RF SQUID.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a bias inductor inductively coupled to the RF SQUID, wherein an amount of current through the bias inductor controls the coupling strength between the first and the second devices.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein one of a zero current through the bias inductor induces no net flux in the RF SQUID allowing for coupling between a first device coupled to the first port and a second devices coupled to the second port, a first current through the bias inductor induces a net flux in the RF SQUID of about 0.4 Φ

₀, where Φ

₀ is equal to a flux quantum allowing maximum isolation between the first device and the second device, and a second current through the bias inductor induces a net flux in the RF SQUID of 0.5 Φ

₀ allowing maximum coupling between the first device and the second device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first device is a qubit.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the second device is a qubit.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control the inductance of the variable inductance coupling element between a low inductance state to provide strong coupling between a first device coupled to the first port and a second device coupled to the second port, and a high inductance state to provide isolation between the first device and the second device.

11. A superconducting system comprising:

a coplanar circuit comprising;

a first ground plane region;

a second ground plane region electrically isolated from the first ground plane region by portions of the superconducting circuit; and

a tunable coupler having a first port and a second port, the tunable coupler comprising;

a Josephson junction;

a first termination inductor having a first end coupled between a first end of the Josephson junction and the first port and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region;

a second termination inductor having a first end coupled between a second end of the Josephson junction and the second port and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region;

a third termination inductor having a first end coupled between the first end of the Josephson junction and the first port and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region; and

a fourth termination inductor having a first end coupled between the second end of the Josephson junction and the second port and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region, wherein the equivalent inductance of the first and third termination inductors, the Josephson junction and the equivalent inductance of the second and fourth termination inductors combine to form an RF SQUID; and

a controller configured to control the inductance of the Josephson junction between a low inductance state to provide strong coupling between a first device coupled to the first port and a second device coupled to the second port, and a high inductance state to provide isolation between the first device and the second device.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a bias inductor inductively coupled to the RF SQUID, wherein an amount of current through the bias inductor controls the coupling strength between the first and the second devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein one of a zero current through the bias inductor induces no net flux in the RF SQUID allowing for coupling between the first and second devices, a first current through the bias inductor induces a net flux in the RF SQUID of about 0.4 Φ

₀, where Φ

₀ is equal to a flux quantum allowing maximum isolation between the first and second devices, and a second current through the bias inductor induces a net flux in the RF SQUID of 0.5 Φ

₀ allowing maximum coupling between the first and second devices.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the first device is a qubit.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second device is a qubit.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a fifth inductor having a first end coupled to the Josephson junction, and a second end coupled between the first and third termination inductors, wherein the equivalent inductance of the first and third termination inductors, the Josephson junction and the equivalent inductance of the second and fourth termination inductors and fifth inductor combine to form the RF SQUID.

17. A superconducting coplanar circuit comprising:

a first ground plane region;

a second ground plane region electrically isolated from the first ground plane region by portions of the superconducting coplanar circuit; and

a tunable coupler having a first port and a second port, the tunable coupler comprising;

a variable inductance coupling element;

a first termination inductor having a first end coupled between a first end of the variable inductance element and the first port and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region;

a second termination inductor having a first end coupled between a second end of the variable inductance element and the second port and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region;

a third termination inductor having a first end coupled between the first end of the Josephson junction and the first port and a second end coupled to the second ground plane region;

a fourth termination inductor having a first end coupled between the second end of the Josephson junction and the second port and a second end coupled to the first ground plane region; and

a fifth inductor having a first end coupled to the Josephson junction, and a second end coupled between the first and third termination inductors, wherein the equivalent inductance of the first and third termination inductors, the Josephson junction and the equivalent inductance of the second and fourth termination inductors and fifth inductor combine to form an RF SQUID;

a qubit coupled to the first port; and

a bias inductor inductively coupled to the RF SQUID, wherein an amount of current through the bias inductor controls the coupling strength between the qubit and a second device coupled to the second port.

18. The circuit of claim 17, wherein the second device is a qubit.

19. The circuit of claim 17, further comprising a controller configured to control an amount of current through the bias inductor to set the Josephson junction between a low inductance state to provide strong coupling between the qubit and the second device, and a high inductance state to provide isolation between the qubit and the second device.

20. The circuit of claim 19, wherein one of a zero current through the bias inductor induces no net flux in the RF SQUID allowing for coupling between the qubit and the second device, a first current through the bias inductor induces a net flux in the RF SQUID of about 0.4 Φ

₀, where Φ

₀ is equal to a flux quantum allowing maximum isolation between the qubit and the second device, and a second current through the bias inductor induces a net flux in the RF SQUID of 0.5 Φ

₀ allowing maximum coupling between the qubit and the second device.