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:1512.01575 · Physical Review Letters

Qubit Noise Spectroscopy for Non-Gaussian Dephasing Environments

Leigh Norris, Gerardo A. Paz-Silva, Lorenza Viola

Published Apr 14, 2016• 152 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We introduce open-loop quantum control protocols for characterizing the spectral properties of non-Gaussian noise, applicable to both classical and quantum dephasing environments. By engineering a multidimensional frequency comb via repetition of suitably designed pulse sequences, the desired high-order spectra may be related to observable properties of the qubit probe. We prove that access to a high time resolution is key to achieving spectral reconstruction over an extended bandwidth, overcoming the limitations of existing schemes. Non-Gaussian spectroscopy is demonstrated for a classical noise model describing quadratic dephasing at an optimal point, as well as a quantum spin-boson model out of equilibrium. In both cases, we obtain spectral reconstructions that accurately predict the qubit dynamics in the non-Gaussian regime.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.116.150503

Related papers

Multiqubit spectroscopy of Gaussian quantum noise

Gerardo A. Paz-Silva, Leigh Norris, Lorenza Viola

We introduce multipulse quantum noise spectroscopy protocols for spectral estimation of the noise affecting multiple qubits coupled to Gaussian dephasing environments including both classical and quantum sources. Our protocols are capable of reconstructing all the noise auto- and cross-correlation spectra entering the multiqubit dynamics, providing access, in particular, to the asymmetric spectra associated with nonclassical environments. Our result relies on (i) an exact analytic solution for the reduced multiqubit dynamics that holds in the presence of an arbitrary Gaussian environment and dephasing-preserving control; (ii) the use of specific timing symmetries, which allow for a frequency comb to be engineered for all filter functions of interest, and for the spectra to be related to experimentally accessible observables. We show that quantum spectra have distinctive dynamical signatures, which we explore in two paradigmatic open-system models describing spin and charge qubits coupled to bosonic environments. Complete noise spectroscopy is demonstrated numerically in a realistic setting consisting of two-exciton qubits coupled to a phonon bath. The estimated spectra allow us to accurately predict the exciton dynamics as well as extract the temperature and spectral density of the quantum environment.

arXiv:1609.01792•Physical Review A•Feb 23, 2017•116 citations

Resource-efficient digital characterization and control of classical non-Gaussian noise

Wenzheng Dong, Gerardo A. Paz-Silva, Lorenza Viola

We show the usefulness of frame-based characterization and control [PRX Quantum 2, 030315 (2021)] for non-Markovian open quantum systems subject to classical non-Gaussian dephasing. By focusing on the paradigmatic case of random telegraph noise and working in a digital window frame, we demonstrate how to achieve higher-order control-adapted spectral estimation for the noise-optimized dynamical decoupling design. We find that, depending on the operating parameter regime, control that is optimized based on non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy can substantially outperform standard Walsh decoupling sequences as well as sequences that are optimized based solely on Gaussian noise spectroscopy. This approach is also intrinsically more resource-efficient than frequency-domain comb-based methods.

arXiv:2304.03735•Applied Physics Letters•Jun 12, 2023•18 citations

Non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy with a superconducting qubit sensor

Youngkyu Sung, Félix Beaudoin, Leigh Norris +9 more

Accurate characterization of the noise influencing a quantum system of interest has far-reaching implications across quantum science, ranging from microscopic modeling of decoherence dynamics to noise-optimized quantum control. While the assumption that noise obeys Gaussian statistics is commonly employed, noise is generically non-Gaussian in nature. In particular, the Gaussian approximation breaks down whenever a qubit is strongly coupled to discrete noise sources or has a non-linear response to the environmental degrees of freedom. Thus, in order to both scrutinize the applicability of the Gaussian assumption and capture distinctive non-Gaussian signatures, a tool for characterizing non-Gaussian noise is essential. Here, we experimentally validate a quantum control protocol which, in addition to the spectrum, reconstructs the leading higher-order spectrum of engineered non-Gaussian dephasing noise using a superconducting qubit as a sensor. This first experimental demonstration of non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy represents a major step toward demonstrating a complete spectral estimation toolbox for quantum devices.

arXiv:1903.01043•Nature Communications•Sep 16, 2019•96 citations

Control-centric quantum noise spectroscopy of time-ordered polyspectra

Kaiah Steven, Elliot Coupe, Qi Yu +1 more

Precise environmental-noise characterisation in open quantum systems is a key step toward high-fidelity quantum control and targeted decoherence suppression in computing and sensing applications. Non-parametric quantum noise spectroscopy (QNS) provides a general-purpose, model-agnostic framework for estimating the spectral properties of an environment. The ability to perform such protocols under realistic constraints is key to their practical applicability. Notably, it is important to account for control constraints and understand how they limit the ability to learn about noise correlations as experiment-agnostic objects. We show how adopting a control-centric point of view allows one to recast the noise spectroscopy problem in such a way that (i) the central objects are now the time-ordered polyspectra, (ii) control filter functions are no longer encumbered by time-ordering. In particular, we show that this approach enables the seamless generalisation of frequency-comb QNS protocols to arbitrary control scenarios without introducing additional control symmetries that effectively remove time-ordering from filter functions, improving estimation in typically pathological scenarios. We demonstrate the targeted reconstruction of the time-ordered polyspectra across classical Gaussian and quantum non-Gaussian environments via simulations.

quant-pharXiv:2604.07682•Physical Review A•Apr 10, 2026•0 citations

Non-Gaussian Noise Spectroscopy with a Superconducting Qubit

Youngkyu Sung, Félix Beaudoin, Leigh Norris +9 more

Most quantum control and quantum error-correction protocols assume that the noise causing decoherence is described by Gaussian statistics. However, the Gaussianity assumption breaks down when the quantum system is strongly coupled to a sparse environment or has a non-linear response to external degrees of freedom. Here, we experimentally validate an open-loop quantum control protocol that reconstructs the higher-order spectrum of a non-Gaussian dephasing process using a superconducting qubit as a noise spectrometer. This experimental demonstration of non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy protocol represents a major step towards the goal of demonstrating a complete noise spectral characterization of quantum devices.

Bulletin of the American Physical Society•Jan 1, 2018•0 citations

Dynamical decoupling sequences for multi-qubit dephasing suppression and long-time quantum memory

Gerardo A. Paz-Silva, Seung-Woo Lee, Todd J. Green +1 more

We consider a class of multi-qubit dephasing models that combine classical noise sources and linear coupling to a bosonic environment, and are controlled by arbitrary sequences of dynamical decoupling pulses. Building on a general transfer filter-function framework for open-loop control, we provide an exact representation of the controlled dynamics for arbitrary stationary non-Gaussian classical and quantum noise statistics, with analytical expressions emerging when all dephasing sources are Gaussian. This exact characterization is used to establish two main results. First, we construct multi-qubit sequences that ensure maximum high-order error suppression in both the time and frequency domain and that can be exponentially more efficient than existing ones in terms of total pulse number. Next, we show how long-time multi-qubit storage may be achieved by meeting appropriate conditions for the emergence of a fidelity plateau under sequence repetition, thereby generalizing recent results for single-qubit memory under Gaussian dephasing. In both scenarios, the key step is to endow multi-qubit sequences with a suitable displacement anti-symmetry property, which is of independent interest for applications ranging from environment-assisted entanglement generation to multi-qubit noise spectroscopy protocols.

arXiv:1602.06261•New Journal of Physics•Jul 11, 2016•45 citations
We introduce open-loop quantum control protocols for characterizing the spectral properties of non-Gaussian noise, applicable to both classical and quantum dephasing environments. By engineering a multidimensional frequency comb via repetition of suitably designed pulse sequences, the desired high-order spectra may be related to observable properties of the qubit probe. We prove that access to a high time resolution is key to achieving spectral reconstruction over an extended bandwidth, overcoming the limitations of existing schemes. Non-Gaussian spectroscopy is demonstrated for a classical noise model describing quadratic dephasing at an optimal point, as well as a quantum spin-boson model out of equilibrium. In both cases, we obtain spectral reconstructions that accurately predict the qubit dynamics in the non-Gaussian regime.
We introduce multipulse quantum noise spectroscopy protocols for spectral estimation of the noise affecting multiple qubits coupled to Gaussian dephasing environments including both classical and quantum sources. Our protocols are capable of reconstructing all the noise auto- and cross-correlation spectra entering the multiqubit dynamics, providing access, in particular, to the asymmetric spectra associated with nonclassical environments. Our result relies on (i) an exact analytic solution for the reduced multiqubit dynamics that holds in the presence of an arbitrary Gaussian environment and dephasing-preserving control; (ii) the use of specific timing symmetries, which allow for a frequency comb to be engineered for all filter functions of interest, and for the spectra to be related to experimentally accessible observables. We show that quantum spectra have distinctive dynamical signatures, which we explore in two paradigmatic open-system models describing spin and charge qubits coupled to bosonic environments. Complete noise spectroscopy is demonstrated numerically in a realistic setting consisting of two-exciton qubits coupled to a phonon bath. The estimated spectra allow us to accurately predict the exciton dynamics as well as extract the temperature and spectral density of the quantum environment.
We show the usefulness of frame-based characterization and control [PRX Quantum 2, 030315 (2021)] for non-Markovian open quantum systems subject to classical non-Gaussian dephasing. By focusing on the paradigmatic case of random telegraph noise and working in a digital window frame, we demonstrate how to achieve higher-order control-adapted spectral estimation for the noise-optimized dynamical decoupling design. We find that, depending on the operating parameter regime, control that is optimized based on non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy can substantially outperform standard Walsh decoupling sequences as well as sequences that are optimized based solely on Gaussian noise spectroscopy. This approach is also intrinsically more resource-efficient than frequency-domain comb-based methods.
Accurate characterization of the noise influencing a quantum system of interest has far-reaching implications across quantum science, ranging from microscopic modeling of decoherence dynamics to noise-optimized quantum control. While the assumption that noise obeys Gaussian statistics is commonly employed, noise is generically non-Gaussian in nature. In particular, the Gaussian approximation breaks down whenever a qubit is strongly coupled to discrete noise sources or has a non-linear response to the environmental degrees of freedom. Thus, in order to both scrutinize the applicability of the Gaussian assumption and capture distinctive non-Gaussian signatures, a tool for characterizing non-Gaussian noise is essential. Here, we experimentally validate a quantum control protocol which, in addition to the spectrum, reconstructs the leading higher-order spectrum of engineered non-Gaussian dephasing noise using a superconducting qubit as a sensor. This first experimental demonstration of non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy represents a major step toward demonstrating a complete spectral estimation toolbox for quantum devices.
Precise environmental-noise characterisation in open quantum systems is a key step toward high-fidelity quantum control and targeted decoherence suppression in computing and sensing applications. Non-parametric quantum noise spectroscopy (QNS) provides a general-purpose, model-agnostic framework for estimating the spectral properties of an environment. The ability to perform such protocols under realistic constraints is key to their practical applicability. Notably, it is important to account for control constraints and understand how they limit the ability to learn about noise correlations as experiment-agnostic objects. We show how adopting a control-centric point of view allows one to recast the noise spectroscopy problem in such a way that (i) the central objects are now the time-ordered polyspectra, (ii) control filter functions are no longer encumbered by time-ordering. In particular, we show that this approach enables the seamless generalisation of frequency-comb QNS protocols to arbitrary control scenarios without introducing additional control symmetries that effectively remove time-ordering from filter functions, improving estimation in typically pathological scenarios. We demonstrate the targeted reconstruction of the time-ordered polyspectra across classical Gaussian and quantum non-Gaussian environments via simulations.
Most quantum control and quantum error-correction protocols assume that the noise causing decoherence is described by Gaussian statistics. However, the Gaussianity assumption breaks down when the quantum system is strongly coupled to a sparse environment or has a non-linear response to external degrees of freedom. Here, we experimentally validate an open-loop quantum control protocol that reconstructs the higher-order spectrum of a non-Gaussian dephasing process using a superconducting qubit as a noise spectrometer. This experimental demonstration of non-Gaussian noise spectroscopy protocol represents a major step towards the goal of demonstrating a complete noise spectral characterization of quantum devices.
We consider a class of multi-qubit dephasing models that combine classical noise sources and linear coupling to a bosonic environment, and are controlled by arbitrary sequences of dynamical decoupling pulses. Building on a general transfer filter-function framework for open-loop control, we provide an exact representation of the controlled dynamics for arbitrary stationary non-Gaussian classical and quantum noise statistics, with analytical expressions emerging when all dephasing sources are Gaussian. This exact characterization is used to establish two main results. First, we construct multi-qubit sequences that ensure maximum high-order error suppression in both the time and frequency domain and that can be exponentially more efficient than existing ones in terms of total pulse number. Next, we show how long-time multi-qubit storage may be achieved by meeting appropriate conditions for the emergence of a fidelity plateau under sequence repetition, thereby generalizing recent results for single-qubit memory under Gaussian dephasing. In both scenarios, the key step is to endow multi-qubit sequences with a suitable displacement anti-symmetry property, which is of independent interest for applications ranging from environment-assisted entanglement generation to multi-qubit noise spectroscopy protocols.