Microwave integrated quantum circuits with VIAS and methods for making the same

• US 9,971,970 B1
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rigetti & Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Rigetti & Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Rigetti, Chad T., Vahidpour, Mehrnoosh, Thompson, Dane Christoffer, Marchenokov, Alexei N., Sete, Eyob Alebachew, Reagor, Matthew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Sophia
• Application Number:
  US15/140,232
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 10/00 Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76877 Filling of holes, grooves or trenches, e.g. vias, with conductive material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76891 by using superconducting materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/76898 formed through a semiconductor substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/16225 the item being non-metallic, e.g. insulating substrate with or without metallisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4824 Connecting between the body and an opposite side of the item with respect to the body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/49109 outside the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/06541 Conductive via connections through the device, e.g. vertical interconnects, through silicon via [TSV]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2225/1041 Special adaptations for top connections of the lowermost container, e.g. redistribution layer, integral interposer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/552 Protection against radiation, e.g. light or electromagnetic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/16235 Connecting to a semiconductor or solid-state bodies, i.e. cap-to-chip
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/12 Josephson-effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/815 for Josephson-effect devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 69/00 Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one superconducting element covered by group H10N60/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/933 Spintronics or quantum computing

Abstract

A quantum computing system includes a quantum circuit device, a substrate having a first surface on which the quantum processing device is disposed, and one or more vias each extending through the substrate. The vias include a material that is a superconducting material during operation of the quantum computing system.

Claims

1. A quantum computing system comprising:

a quantum circuit device having at least one operating frequency;

a first substrate having a first surface on which the quantum circuit device is disposed; and

electrically conducting vias each extending through the first substrate outside of a footprint of the quantum circuit device,

wherein the vias are arranged to suppress propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below a cutoff frequency, the cutoff frequency being larger than the operating frequency;

a set of three or more other electrically conducting vias each extending through the first substrate outside of the footprint of the quantum circuit device, wherein the other electrically conducting vias form respective vertices of a polygon; and

a signal line that includes a first via that extends through the first substrate and is inscribed in the polygon, wherein the signal line is electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device to carry, during operation of the quantum computing system, a control signal to, or a readout signal from, the quantum circuit device.

2. The quantum computing system of claim 1, further comprising

a second substrate having a first surface that defines a recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being arranged such that the recess of the second substrate forms an enclosure that houses the quantum circuit device;

and

an electrically conducting layer that covers at least a portion of the recess of the second substrate,

wherein the recess of the second substrate is configured to suppress inside the recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below the cutoff frequency.

3. The quantum computing system of claim 2, further comprising another quantum circuit device having at least one other operating frequency, the other quantum circuit device being disposed on the first surface of the first substrate and spaced apart from the quantum circuit device.

4. The quantum computing system of claim 3, further comprising other electrically conductive vias each extending through the first substrate outside of a footprint of the other quantum circuit device, wherein the other vias are arranged to suppress propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below another cutoff frequency, the other cutoff frequency being larger than the other operating frequency.

5. The quantum computing system of claim 4, further comprising a coupling line that includes an electrical conductor extending along the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the other quantum circuit device is electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device through the coupling line, through a capacitive coupling, or through an inductive coupling.

6. The quantum computing system of claim 5, wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines another recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being further arranged such that the other recess of the second substrate forms another enclosure that houses the other quantum circuit device, the electrically conducting layer further covers at least a portion of the other recess of the second substrate, and the other recess of the second substrate is configured to suppress inside the other recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below the other cutoff frequency.

7. The quantum computing system of claim 6, wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines a third recess, the third recess forming an enclosure that hosts the coupling line.

8. The quantum computing system of claim 2, wherein the electrically conducting layer is grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

9. The quantum computing system of claim 2, wherein the electrically conducting layer is a superconducting layer during operation of the quantum computing system.

10. The quantum computing system of claim 2, wherein the second substrate comprises a lithographically defined thick photoresist.

11. The quantum computing system of claim 2, wherein the second substrate comprises one of silicon, sapphire, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, quartz, lithographically defined thick photoresist or an electrical conducting material that is a superconducting material when the quantum computing system is operated.

12. The quantum computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a DC pad disposed on the first surface of the first substrate and electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device; and

a DC line that includes one or more vias that extend through the first substrate and contact the DC pad, wherein the DC line carries, during operation of the quantum computing system, a DC signal to and from the quantum circuit device.

13. The quantum computing system of claim 1, wherein at least some of the electrically conductive vias are grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

14. The quantum computing system of claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting vias comprise a material that is a superconducting material during operation of the quantum computing system.

15. The quantum computing system of claim 1, wherein the quantum circuit device is one of a qubit, a tunable quantum coupler, a readout circuit including one or more linear resonators or one or more nonlinear resonators, a filter, a quantum amplifier, or a circulator.

16. The quantum computing system of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises a low-loss material.

17. The quantum computing system of claim 1, wherein the first substrate comprises silicon oxide.

18. A quantum computing system comprising:

a quantum circuit device having at least one operating frequency;

a first substrate having a first surface on which the quantum circuit device is disposed; and

electrically conducting vias each extending through the first substrate outside of a footprint of the quantum circuit device,

wherein the vias are arranged to suppress propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below a cutoff frequency, the cutoff frequency being larger than the operating frequency;

a second substrate having a first surface that defines a recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being arranged such that the recess of the second substrate forms an enclosure that houses the quantum circuit device;

an electrically conducting layer that covers at least a portion of the recess of the second substrate,

wherein the recess of the second substrate is configured to suppress inside the recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below the cutoff frequency;

another quantum circuit device having at least one other operating frequency;

a third substrate having a first surface onto which the other quantum circuit device is disposed; and

other electrically conductive vias each extending through the third substrate outside of a footprint of the other quantum circuit device, the other vias being arranged to suppress, across a volume of the third substrate that is adjacent to the footprint of the other quantum circuit device, propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below another cutoff frequency, the other cutoff frequency being larger than the other operating frequency,

wherein the first substrate (i) has a second surface opposing the first surface that defines a recess of the first substrate, and (ii) is sandwiched between the second substrate and the third substrate, the first and third substrates being arranged such that the recess of the first substrate forms another enclosure that houses the other quantum circuit device;

wherein the quantum computing system further comprises

another electrically conducting layer that covers at least a portion of the recess of the first substrate, the recess of the first substrate being configured to suppress inside the recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below the other cutoff frequency; and

a coupling line that includes an electrically conductive via extending through the first substrate, the other quantum circuit device being electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device through the coupling line.

19. The quantum computing system of claim 18, further comprising:

a DC pad disposed on the first surface of the first substrate and electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device; and

a DC line that includes one or more vias that extend through the first substrate and contact the DC pad, wherein the DC line carries, during operation of the quantum computing system, a DC signal to and from the quantum circuit device.

20. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein at least some of the electrically conductive vias are grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

21. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the electrically conducting layer is grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

22. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the electrically conducting layer is a superconducting layer during operation of the quantum computing system.

23. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the electrically conducting vias comprise a material that is a superconducting material during operation of the quantum computing system.

24. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the quantum circuit device is one of a qubit, a tunable quantum coupler, a readout circuit including one or more linear resonators or one or more nonlinear resonators, a filter, a quantum amplifier, or a circulator.

25. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the second substrate comprises a lithographically defined thick photoresist.

26. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the second substrate comprises one of silicon, sapphire, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, quartz, lithographically defined thick photoresist or an electrical conducting material that is a superconducting material when the quantum computing system is operated.

27. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein:

a third quantum circuit device having at least one third operating frequency, the third quantum circuit device being disposed on the first surface of the first substrate and spaced apart from the quantum circuit device;

third electrically conductive vias each extending through the first substrate outside of a footprint of the third quantum circuit device, wherein the third vias are arranged to suppress propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below a third cutoff frequency, the third cutoff frequency being larger than the third operating frequency; and

another coupling line that includes another electrical conductor extending along the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the third quantum circuit device is electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device through the other coupling line, through a capacitive coupling, or through an inductive coupling,

wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines another recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being further arranged such that the other recess of the second substrate forms a third enclosure that houses the third quantum circuit device, the electrically conducting layer further covers at least a portion of the other recess of the second substrate, and the other recess of the second substrate is configured to suppress inside the other recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below a third cutoff frequency,

wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines a fourth recess, the fourth recess forming an enclosure that hosts the other coupling line.

28. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the first substrate comprises a low-loss material.

29. The quantum computing system of claim 18, wherein the first substrate comprises silicon oxide.

30. A quantum computing system comprising:

a quantum circuit device;

a substrate having a first surface on which the quantum circuit device is disposed;

one or more vias each extending through the substrate, wherein the vias comprise a material that is a superconducting material during operation of the quantum computing system;

a set of three or more other electrically conducting vias each extending through the substrate outside of a footprint of the quantum circuit device, wherein the other electrically conducting vias form respective vertices of a polygon; and

a signal line that includes a first via that extends through the substrate and is inscribed in the polygon, wherein the signal line is electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device to carry, during operation of the quantum computing system, a control signal to, or a readout signal from, the quantum circuit device.

31. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein the one or more vias are disposed outside of a footprint of the quantum circuit device.

32. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein each of the one or more vias comprises a pair of end caps of the superconducting material, the end caps disposed adjacent to the first surface and an opposing surface of the substrate.

33. The quantum computing system of claim 32, wherein each of the one or more vias further comprises a tube of the superconducting material in contact with walls of a through hole of the substrate that houses the via, the tube of the superconducting material extending between the pair of end caps of the superconducting material.

34. The quantum computing system of claim 32, wherein each of the one or more vias is filled with a filler material between the pair of end caps of the superconducting material.

35. The quantum computing system of claim 34, wherein the filler material is a polymer.

36. The quantum computing system of claim 34, wherein the filler material is a normal conducting metal.

37. The quantum computing system of claim 34, wherein the filler material is a superconducting material.

38. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein a separation between adjacent vias is between 0.1 μ

m and 1 mm.

39. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein vias fabricated in one or more substrates form networks of structure that provide large scale quantum integrated circuits.

40. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein vias provide thermalization by serving as a heat sink and reduce loss experienced by quantum circuits on the first surface of the substrate during operation of the quantum computing system.

41. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein vias isolate quantum circuits of the quantum computing system from interacting with spurious modes of the substrate improving coherence times of the quantum circuits during operation of the quantum computing system.

42. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein a thickness of the substrate is between 1 μ

m to 1 mm.

43. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises one or more materials selected from a group consisting of silicon, sapphire, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride.

44. The quantum computing system of claim 43, wherein the substrate comprises silicon oxide.

45. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein the quantum circuit device is one of qubit, a tunable quantum coupler, a readout circuit including one or more linear resonators or one or more non-linear resonators, a filter, a quantum amplifier, or a circulator.

46. The quantum computing system of claim 30, wherein the substrate comprises a low-loss material.

47. A quantum computing system comprising:

a quantum circuit device having at least one operating frequency;

a first substrate having a first surface on which the quantum circuit device is disposed;

electrically conducting vias each extending through the first substrate outside of a footprint of the quantum circuit device,

wherein the vias are arranged to suppress propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below a cutoff frequency, the cutoff frequency being larger than the operating frequency;

a second substrate having a first surface that defines a recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being arranged such that the recess of the second substrate forms an enclosure that houses the quantum circuit device; and

an electrically conducting layer that covers at least a portion of the recess of the second substrate,

wherein the recess of the second substrate is configured to suppress inside the recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below the cutoff frequency,

wherein the electrically conducting layer is grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

48. The quantum computing system of claim 47, further comprising:

a DC pad disposed on the first surface of the first substrate and electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device; and

a DC line that includes one or more vias that extend through the first substrate and contact the DC pad, wherein the DC line carries, during operation of the quantum computing system, a DC signal to and from the quantum circuit device.

49. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein at least some of the electrically conductive vias are grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

50. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the first substrate comprises a low-loss material.

51. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the electrically conducting layer is a superconducting layer during operation of the quantum computing system.

52. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the electrically conducting vias comprise a material that is a superconducting material during operation of the quantum computing system.

53. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the quantum circuit device is one of a qubit, a tunable quantum coupler, a readout circuit including one or more linear resonators or one or more nonlinear resonators, a filter, a quantum amplifier, or a circulator.

54. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the second substrate comprises a lithographically defined thick photoresist.

55. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the second substrate comprises one of silicon, sapphire, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, quartz, lithographically defined thick photoresist or an electrical conducting material that is a superconducting material when the quantum computing system is operated.

56. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein:

another quantum circuit device having at least one other operating frequency, the other quantum circuit device being disposed on the first surface of the first substrate and spaced apart from the quantum circuit device;

other electrically conductive vias each extending through the first substrate outside of a footprint of the other quantum circuit device, wherein the other vias are arranged to suppress propagation of electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below another cutoff frequency, the other cutoff frequency being larger than the other operating frequency; and

a coupling line that includes an electrical conductor extending along the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the other quantum circuit device is electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device through the coupling line, through a capacitive coupling, or through an inductive coupling,

wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines another recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being further arranged such that the other recess of the second substrate forms another enclosure that houses the other quantum circuit device, the electrically conducting layer further covers at least a portion of the other recess of the second substrate, and the other recess of the second substrate is configured to suppress inside the other recess propagation of the electromagnetic waves that have frequencies below the other cutoff frequency,

wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines a third recess, the third recess forming an enclosure that hosts the coupling line.

58. The quantum computing system of claim 47, wherein the first substrate comprises silicon oxide.

57. A quantum computing system comprising:

a quantum circuit device;

a first substrate having a first surface on which the quantum circuit device is disposed;

one or more vias each extending through the first substrate, wherein the vias comprise a material that is a superconducting material during operation of the quantum computing system;

a second substrate having a first surface that defines a recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being arranged such that the recess of the second substrate forms an enclosure that houses the quantum circuit device; and

an electrically conducting layer that covers at least a portion of the recess of the second substrate,

wherein the electrically conducting layer is grounded during operation of the quantum computing system.

59. The quantum computing system of claim 57, further comprising:

another quantum circuit device; and

a coupling line that includes an electrical conductor extending along the first surface of the first substrate, wherein the other quantum circuit device is electromagnetically coupled with the quantum circuit device through the coupling line, through a capacitive coupling, or through an inductive coupling,

wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines another recess of the second substrate, the first and second substrates being further arranged such that the other recess of the second substrate forms another enclosure that houses the other quantum circuit device, the electrically conducting layer further covers at least a portion of the other recess of the second substrate,

wherein the first surface of the second substrate defines a third recess, the third recess forming an enclosure that hosts the coupling line.

60. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein the one or more vias are disposed outside of a footprint of the quantum circuit device.

61. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein each of the one or more vias comprises a pair of end caps of the superconducting material, the end caps disposed adjacent to the first surface of the first substrate and an opposing surface of the substrate.

62. The quantum computing system of claim 61, wherein each of the one or more vias further comprises a tube of the superconducting material in contact with walls of a through hole of the first substrate that houses the via, the tube of the superconducting material extending between the pair of end caps of the superconducting material.

63. The quantum computing system of claim 61, wherein each of the one or more vias is filled with a filler material between the pair of end caps of the superconducting material.

64. The quantum computing system of claim 63, wherein the filler material is a polymer.

65. The quantum computing system of claim 63, wherein the filler material is a normal conducting metal.

66. The quantum computing system of claim 63, wherein the filler material is a superconducting material.

67. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein a separation between adjacent vias is between 0.1 μ

m and 1 mm.

68. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein vias fabricated in one or more substrates form networks of structure that provide large scale quantum integrated circuits.

69. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein vias provide thermalization by serving as a heat sink and reduce loss experienced by quantum circuits on the first surface of the substrate during operation of the quantum computing system.

70. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein vias isolate quantum circuits of the quantum computing system from interacting with spurious modes of the first substrate improving coherence times of the quantum circuits during operation of the quantum computing system.

71. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein a thickness of the first substrate is between 1 μ

m to 1 mm.

72. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein the first substrate comprises one or more materials selected from a group consisting of silicon, sapphire, silicon oxide, and silicon nitride.

73. The quantum computing system of claim 72, wherein the first substrate comprises silicon oxide.

74. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein the quantum circuit device is one of qubit, a tunable quantum coupler, a readout circuit including one or more linear resonators or one or more non-linear resonators, a filter, a quantum amplifier, or a circulator.

75. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein the first substrate comprises a low-loss material.

76. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein the second substrate comprises a lithographically defined thick photoresist.

77. The quantum computing system of claim 57, wherein the second substrate comprises one of silicon, sapphire, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, quartz, lithographically defined thick photoresist or an electrical conducting material that is a superconducting material when the quantum computing system is operated.