Quantum noise pathfinder

The rapid progress in quantum technology has now reached a point where real-word applications are being actively developed: quantum-limited amplifiers and sensors, quantum cryptography and quantum computing herald a new era in signal and information processing.

The main impediment towards a future progress in quantum technology is vulnerability of quantum circuits to an environmental noise: even the state of the art engineered quantum circuits can only keep running as quantum systems for a limited time, up until environmental noise spoils the fragile quantum mechanical phase.

At present, the common knowledge is that the randomization of quantum phase stems from interaction with environmental fluctuators (TLS).

However, despite persistent efforts, the material nature of these TLS and the mechanism whereby they cause quantum decoherence is still unknown.The ultimate goal of this project is to build up a quantum sensor platform enabling chemical, structural, and spatial identification of the environmental TLS and to demystify the material nature of  the sources of decoherence in engineered quantum devices.

The toolkit will build upon the pioneering tools and techniques previously developed in our group: the on-chip Electron Spin Resonance spectrometer with atto-mole sensitivity, the Near-field Scanning Microwave Microscope operating in a single-photon regime, and detection and interrogation of individual single-charge fluctuators with high-Q superconducting resonators.