Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1503.01597 · Physical Review B

Lasing in circuit quantum electrodynamics with strong noise

Michael Marthaler, Yasuhiro Utsumi, Dmitry S. Golubev

Published May 26, 2015• 8 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

A single artificial atom maser can be realized using a superconducting single electron transistor coupled to an oscillator or a double dot coupled to a transmission-line resonator. The authors suggest a model to describe the possibility of lasing action in various environments under different coupling mechanism.
DOI
10.1103/physrevb.91.184515

Related papers

Lasing, trapping states, and multistability in a circuit quantum electrodynamical analog of a single-atom injection maser

Michael Marthaler, Juha Leppäkangas, Jared H. Cole

We study a superconducting single-electron transistor (SSET) which is coupled to a $\mathit{LC}$ oscillator via the phase difference across one of the Josephson junctions. This leads to a strongly anharmonic coupling between the SSET and the oscillator. The coupling can oscillate with the number of photons, which makes this system very similar to the single-atom injection maser. However, the advantage of a design based on superconducting circuits is the strong coupling and existence of standard methods to measure the radiation field in the oscillator. This makes it possible to study many effects that have been predicted for the single-atom injection maser in a circuit quantum electrodynamics setup.

arXiv:1012.3577•Physical Review B•May 24, 2011•34 citations

Overcoming photon blockade in circuit QED single-atom maser with engineered metastability and strong coupling

A. A. Sokolova, Daria A. Kalacheva, G. P. Fedorov +1 more

Reaching high cavity population with a coherent pump in the strong-coupling regime of a single-atom laser is impossible due to the photon blockade effect. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate that in a single-atom maser based on a transmon strongly coupled to two resonators it is possible to pump over a dozen of photons into the system. The first high-quality resonator plays a role of usual lasing cavity, and the second one presents a controlled dissipation channel, bolstering population inversion, and modifies the energy level structure to lift the blockade. As a confirmation of lasing action, we observe conventional laser features such as the narrowing of emission linewidth and external signal amplification. Additionally, we report unique single-atom features: self-quenching and several lasing thresholds.

arXiv:2209.05165•Sep 12, 2022•0 citations

Single Artificial Atom SASER

Shtefan V. Sanduleanu, Peter Yu. Shlykov, Alexei N. Bolgar +7 more

Lasing - an effect of orthodox quantum mechanics - was discovered in 1955 and recognized by the Nobel Prize in 1964 due to its fundamentality. Nowadays, lasers and masers routinely work with electromagnetic waves and consist of a resonator with an active medium - usually a system of atoms with population inversion mechanism. Amazingly, quantum mechanics remains valid even when electromagnetic waves are replaced by vibrations of a crystal lattice, and, therefore, photons by phonons, even though are not fundamental particles. By implementing acoustic resonators coupled to an atom with a mechanism of population inversion, the lasing effect in sound can be achieved. In this paper, we demonstrate the single artificial atom SASER (Sound Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) action by utilizing a surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator on quartz coupled to a deliberately designed superconducting three-level quantum system (artificial atom), in which population inversion is realized. The SASER operates in the ultrasound range at a frequency about 3 GHz. Acoustic-to-electric signals are converted via piezo-electric effect and the circuit elements; an artificial atom and input/outputs are coupled via the acoustic waves. We observe amplification of the waves and their strong self-emission with a significant narrowing of the linewidth. The phonon number generated in the system exceeds 90.

quant-pharXiv:2603.27401•Mar 31, 2026•0 citations

Noise in a Dynamical Open Quantum System: Coupling a Resonator to an Artificial Atom

T. J. Harvey

The subject of this thesis is the study of a particular open quantum system consisting of a resonator coupled to a superconducting single electron transistor (SSET). The theoretical model we use is applicable to both mechanical and superconducting stripline resonators leading to a large parameter regime that can be explored. The SSET is tuned to the Josephson quasi-particle resonance, in which the transport occurs via Cooper pairs coherently tunnelling across one junction followed by the incoherent tunnelling of quasi-particles across the other. The SSET can be thought of as an artificial atom since it has a similar energy level structure and transitions to an atom. We investigate to what extent the current and current noise through the SSET can be used to infer the state of the resonator. In order to carry out these investigations we describe the system with a Born-Markov master equation, which we solve numerically. The evolution of the density matrix of the system is described by a Liouvillian superoperator. In order to better understand the results we perform an eigenfunction expansion of the Liouvillian, which is useful in connecting the behaviour of the resonator to the current noise. The mixture of coherent and incoherent processes in the SSET leads to interesting back action effects on the resonator. For weak coupling the SSET acts as an effective thermal bath on the resonator. Depending on the operating point the resonator can be either heated or cooled in comparison to its surroundings. In this regime we can use a set of mean field equations to describe the system and also capture certain aspects of the behaviour with some simple models. For sufficient coupling the SSET can drive the resonator into states of self-sustained oscillations. At the transition between stable and oscillating states of the resonator we also find regions of co-existence between oscillating and fixed point states of the resonator. The current noise provides a way to identify these transitions and the state of the resonator. The system also shows analogies with quantum optical systems such as the micromaser. We calculate the linewidth of the resonator and find deviations from the expected behaviour.

•Jan 1, 2009•0 citations

Single Artificial-Atom Lasing of a Dressed Flux Qubit

G. Oelsner

Superconducting quantum bits originally developed for quantum computation have properties similar to real atoms. Because they are micro fabricated circuits, their interaction with electromagnetic radiation can be engineered and effects known from quantum optics may be realized. In this work, a unique lasing scheme exploiting only the lowest two levels of a single artificial atom coupled to a high-quality superconducting resonator is experimentally realized. It is based on the dressing of the atom’s states by a strong signal and the associated rescaling of the relaxation. In addition, basic physical processes are discussed by a separate characterization of the artificial atom, the resonator, and their coupling. A quantum theory including dissipative processes is developed from basic superconducting effects and its applicability demonstrated by a perfect agreement with the experimental results. It gives an illustrative insight into the physics of atom-photon interaction.

•Feb 7, 2017•4 citations

Correlated Emission Lasing in Harmonic Oscillators Coupled via a Single Three-Level Artificial Atom

Zhihui Peng, Yu-xi Liu, Joonas T. Peltonen +3 more

A single superconducting artificial atom can be used for coupling electromagnetic fields up to the single-photon level due to an easily achieved strong coupling regime. Bringing a pair of harmonic oscillators into resonance with the transitions of a three-level atom converts atomic spontaneous processes into correlated emission dynamics. We present the experimental demonstration of two-mode correlated emission lasing in harmonic oscillators coupled via a fully controllable three-level superconducting quantum system (artificial atom). The correlation of emissions with two different colors reveals itself as equally narrowed linewidths and quenching of their mutual phase diffusion. The mutual linewidth is more than 4 orders of magnitude narrower than the Schawlow-Townes limit. The interference between the different color lasing fields demonstrates that the two-mode fields are strongly correlated.

arXiv:1505.02858•Physical Review Letters•Nov 25, 2015•50 citations
We study a superconducting single-electron transistor (SSET) which is coupled to a LC\mathit{LC}LC oscillator via the phase difference across one of the Josephson junctions. This leads to a strongly anharmonic coupling between the SSET and the oscillator. The coupling can oscillate with the number of photons, which makes this system very similar to the single-atom injection maser. However, the advantage of a design based on superconducting circuits is the strong coupling and existence of standard methods to measure the radiation field in the oscillator. This makes it possible to study many effects that have been predicted for the single-atom injection maser in a circuit quantum electrodynamics setup.
Reaching high cavity population with a coherent pump in the strong-coupling regime of a single-atom laser is impossible due to the photon blockade effect. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate that in a single-atom maser based on a transmon strongly coupled to two resonators it is possible to pump over a dozen of photons into the system. The first high-quality resonator plays a role of usual lasing cavity, and the second one presents a controlled dissipation channel, bolstering population inversion, and modifies the energy level structure to lift the blockade. As a confirmation of lasing action, we observe conventional laser features such as the narrowing of emission linewidth and external signal amplification. Additionally, we report unique single-atom features: self-quenching and several lasing thresholds.
Lasing - an effect of orthodox quantum mechanics - was discovered in 1955 and recognized by the Nobel Prize in 1964 due to its fundamentality. Nowadays, lasers and masers routinely work with electromagnetic waves and consist of a resonator with an active medium - usually a system of atoms with population inversion mechanism. Amazingly, quantum mechanics remains valid even when electromagnetic waves are replaced by vibrations of a crystal lattice, and, therefore, photons by phonons, even though are not fundamental particles. By implementing acoustic resonators coupled to an atom with a mechanism of population inversion, the lasing effect in sound can be achieved. In this paper, we demonstrate the single artificial atom SASER (Sound Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) action by utilizing a surface acoustic wave (SAW) resonator on quartz coupled to a deliberately designed superconducting three-level quantum system (artificial atom), in which population inversion is realized. The SASER operates in the ultrasound range at a frequency about 3 GHz. Acoustic-to-electric signals are converted via piezo-electric effect and the circuit elements; an artificial atom and input/outputs are coupled via the acoustic waves. We observe amplification of the waves and their strong self-emission with a significant narrowing of the linewidth. The phonon number generated in the system exceeds 90.
The subject of this thesis is the study of a particular open quantum system consisting of a resonator coupled to a superconducting single electron transistor (SSET). The theoretical model we use is applicable to both mechanical and superconducting stripline resonators leading to a large parameter regime that can be explored. The SSET is tuned to the Josephson quasi-particle resonance, in which the transport occurs via Cooper pairs coherently tunnelling across one junction followed by the incoherent tunnelling of quasi-particles across the other. The SSET can be thought of as an artificial atom since it has a similar energy level structure and transitions to an atom. We investigate to what extent the current and current noise through the SSET can be used to infer the state of the resonator. In order to carry out these investigations we describe the system with a Born-Markov master equation, which we solve numerically. The evolution of the density matrix of the system is described by a Liouvillian superoperator. In order to better understand the results we perform an eigenfunction expansion of the Liouvillian, which is useful in connecting the behaviour of the resonator to the current noise. The mixture of coherent and incoherent processes in the SSET leads to interesting back action effects on the resonator. For weak coupling the SSET acts as an effective thermal bath on the resonator. Depending on the operating point the resonator can be either heated or cooled in comparison to its surroundings. In this regime we can use a set of mean field equations to describe the system and also capture certain aspects of the behaviour with some simple models. For sufficient coupling the SSET can drive the resonator into states of self-sustained oscillations. At the transition between stable and oscillating states of the resonator we also find regions of co-existence between oscillating and fixed point states of the resonator. The current noise provides a way to identify these transitions and the state of the resonator. The system also shows analogies with quantum optical systems such as the micromaser. We calculate the linewidth of the resonator and find deviations from the expected behaviour.
Superconducting quantum bits originally developed for quantum computation have properties similar to real atoms. Because they are micro fabricated circuits, their interaction with electromagnetic radiation can be engineered and effects known from quantum optics may be realized. In this work, a unique lasing scheme exploiting only the lowest two levels of a single artificial atom coupled to a high-quality superconducting resonator is experimentally realized. It is based on the dressing of the atom’s states by a strong signal and the associated rescaling of the relaxation. In addition, basic physical processes are discussed by a separate characterization of the artificial atom, the resonator, and their coupling. A quantum theory including dissipative processes is developed from basic superconducting effects and its applicability demonstrated by a perfect agreement with the experimental results. It gives an illustrative insight into the physics of atom-photon interaction.
A single superconducting artificial atom can be used for coupling electromagnetic fields up to the single-photon level due to an easily achieved strong coupling regime. Bringing a pair of harmonic oscillators into resonance with the transitions of a three-level atom converts atomic spontaneous processes into correlated emission dynamics. We present the experimental demonstration of two-mode correlated emission lasing in harmonic oscillators coupled via a fully controllable three-level superconducting quantum system (artificial atom). The correlation of emissions with two different colors reveals itself as equally narrowed linewidths and quenching of their mutual phase diffusion. The mutual linewidth is more than 4 orders of magnitude narrower than the Schawlow-Townes limit. The interference between the different color lasing fields demonstrates that the two-mode fields are strongly correlated.