Energy Decay in Superconducting Josephson-Junction Qubits from Nonequilibrium Quasiparticle Excitations
Abstract
We calculate the energy decay rate of Josephson qubits and superconducting resonators from nonequilibrium quasiparticles. The decay rates from experiments are shown to be consistent with predictions based on a prior measurement of the quasiparticle density n(qp) = 10/microm(3), which suggests that nonequilibrium quasiparticles are an important decoherence source for Josephson qubits. Calculations of the energy-decay and diffusion of quasiparticles also indicate that prior engineered gap and trap structures, which reduce the density of quasiparticles, should be redesigned to improve their efficacy. This model also explains a striking feature in Josephson qubits and resonators-a small reduction in decay rate with increasing temperature.
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When interacting with the chip, cosmic and gamma rays can deposit energies in the 100 keV to 1 MeV range, dwarfing the typical energy scales in the qubits at around 25 eV.
“When interacting with the chip, these rays can deposit energies in the 100 keV to 1 MeV range [5, 8], dwar ng the typical energy scales in our qubits at around 25 eV.”
From Resolving catastrophic error bursts from cosmic rays in large arrays of superconducting qubits (2022) · cites this paper as [8]
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- Authors
- Martinis, J. M., Ansmann, M., & Aumentado, J.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Santa Barbara (US)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (US)
- Venue
- Physical Review Letters
- Publisher
- American Physical Society (APS)
- Published
- 2009-08-26
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 097002-097002
- ISSN
- 0031-9007 (ISSN-L)
- 1079-7114
- OpenAlex
- W2035143459
- Cited by
- 247
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 28 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 11.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Physical Review Letters (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Quantum Information and Cryptography
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Astronomy and Astrophysics › Superconducting and THz Device Technology
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Condensed Matter Physics › Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism
- Keywords
- Josephson qubits, superconducting resonators, energy decay rate, nonequilibrium quasiparticles, quasiparticle density, decoherence, quasiparticle diffusion
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