We study classical and quantum echoes in a Kerr oscillator driven by a frequency-controlling pulsed perturbation. We consider dynamical response to the perturbation for a single coherent state and for Schrödinger cat states constructed as both balanced and imbalanced superpositions of two coherent states. For individual coherent states, we demonstrate that a weak parametric drive yields a long-lived sequence of classical echoes. Cat states are found to exhibit distinct quantum echoes that are sensitive to the initial relative phase and weights of the coherent states in superposition. We examine the effect of dissipation on quantum echoes and quantum revivals of cat states. We demonstrate that, even when dissipation suppresses quantum revivals, quantum echoes can be recovered by properly tuning the timing and strength of the perturbation. These results may be useful for characterizing and mitigating errors of cat qubits.
We study classical and quantum echoes in a Kerr oscillator driven by a frequency-controlling pulsed perturbation. We consider dynamical response to the perturbation for a single coherent state and for Schrödinger cat states constructed as both balanced and imbalanced superpositions of two coherent states. For individual coherent states, we demonstrate that a weak parametric drive yields a long-lived sequence of classical echoes. Cat states are found to exhibit distinct quantum echoes that are sensitive to the initial relative phase and weights of the coherent states in superposition. We examine the effect of dissipation on quantum echoes and quantum revivals of cat states. We demonstrate that, even when dissipation suppresses quantum revivals, quantum echoes can be recovered by properly tuning the timing and strength of the perturbation. These results may be useful for characterizing and mitigating errors of cat qubits.
A quantum Kerr-nonlinear oscillator is a paradigmatic model in cavity and circuit quantum electrodynamics, and quantum optomechanics. We theoretically study the echo phenomenon in a single impulsively excited (``kicked'') Kerr-nonlinear oscillator. We reveal two types of echoes, ``quantum'' and ``classical'' ones, emerging on the long and short time scales, respectively. The mechanisms of the echoes are discussed, and their sensitivity to dissipation is considered. These echoes may be useful for studying decoherence processes in a number of systems related to quantum information processing.
A Kerr-cat qubit encodes a logical bit in the two wells of a parametrically driven nonlinear oscillator, and a logic gate is a transient change of the drive. In the phase plane, the gate deforms the double well and can split its separatrix into a turnstile that carries trajectories across the dividing surface between the wells; the same pulse, acting on the quantum oscillator, can corrupt the encoded bit. We study this process over a disk of coherent-state preparations, comparing classical phase-space transport diagnostics with the open-system quantum outcome on a common domain so that the two can be compared point by point. The central finding is that the corruption depends on the full temporal protocol, not on pulse strength alone: a sudden quench erases the bit, whereas a smooth ramp of the same peak amplitude largely preserves it. A finite-time sensitivity field locates the classical transport boundary, and a Loschmidt echo evaluated near the end of the gate predicts the much later quantum outcome. Sweeping the pulse amplitude, the pulse width, the cat size, and the rate of an engineered two-photon dissipation, we map where the classical transport picture predicts the quantum loss of the bit and where it does not.
Abstract The quantum to classical transition is determined by the interplay of a trio of parameters: dissipation, nonlinearity, and macroscopicity. Why is nonlinearity needed to see quantum effects? And, is not an ordinary pendulum quite nonlinear already? In this manuscript, we discuss the parameter regime where the dynamics of a massive oscillator should be quantum mechanical in the presence of dissipation. We review the outstanding challenge of the dynamical generation of highly quantum mechanical cat states of a massive ‘pendulum’, known as Kerr-cats. We argue that state-of-the-art cold atom experiments may be in a position to reach such a nonlinear regime, which today singles out superconducting quantum circuits. A way to stabilize Schrödinger cat superpositions of a mechanical atomic oscillator via parametric squeezing and further protected by an unusual form of quantum interference is discussed. The encoding of a neutral atom Kerr-cat qubit is proposed.
A Kerr-cat qubit encodes a logical bit in the two wells of a parametrically driven nonlinear oscillator, and a logic gate is a transient change of the drive. In the phase plane the gate deforms the double well and can split its separatrix into a turnstile that carries trajectories across the dividing surface between the wells; the same pulse, acting on the quantum oscillator, can corrupt the encoded bit. We study this process over a disk of coherent-state preparations, comparing classical phase-space transport diagnostics with the open-system quantum outcome on a common domain so that the two can be compared point by point. The central finding is that the corruption depends on the full temporal protocol, not on pulse strength alone: a sudden quench erases the bit, whereas a smooth ramp of the same peak amplitude largely preserves it. A finite-time sensitivity field locates the classical transport boundary, and a Loschmidt echo evaluated near the end of the gate predicts the much later quantum outcome. Sweeps of pulse amplitude and width, of cat size, and of engineered two-photon dissipation map where the classical transport picture predicts the quantum loss of the bit and where it does not.
Abstract Quantum superpositions of macroscopically distinct classical states—so-called Schrödinger cat states—are a resource for quantum metrology, quantum communication and quantum computation. In particular, the superpositions of two opposite-phase coherent states in an oscillator encode a qubit protected against phase-flip errors1, 2. However, several challenges have to be overcome for this concept to become a practical way to encode and manipulate error-protected quantum information. The protection must be maintained by stabilizing these highly excited states and, at the same time, the system has to be compatible with fast gates on the encoded qubit and a quantum non-demolition readout of the encoded information. Here we experimentally demonstrate a method for the generation and stabilization of Schrödinger cat states based on the interplay between Kerr nonlinearity and single-mode squeezing1, 3 in a superconducting microwave resonator4. We show an increase in the transverse relaxation time of the stabilized, error-protected qubit of more than one order of magnitude compared with the single-photon Fock-state encoding. We perform all single-qubit gate operations on timescales more than sixty times faster than the shortest coherence time and demonstrate single-shot readout of the protected qubit under stabilization. Our results showcase the combination of fast quantum control and robustness against errors, which is intrinsic to stabilized macroscopic states, as well as the potential of these states as resources in quantum information processing5–8.
Quantum computing crucially relies on maintaining quantum coherence for the duration of a calculation. Bosonic quantum error correction protects this coherence by encoding qubits into superpositions of noise-resilient oscillator states. In the case of the Kerr-cat qubit (KCQ), these states derive their stability from being the quasi-degenerate ground states of an engineered Hamiltonian in a driven nonlinear oscillator. KCQs are experimentally compatible with on-chip architectures and high-fidelity operations, making them promising candidates for a scalable bosonic quantum processor. However, their bit-flip time must increase further to fully leverage these advantages. Here, we present direct evidence that the bit-flip time in a KCQ is limited by leakage out of the qubit manifold and experimentally mitigate this process. We coherently control the leakage population and measure it to be > 9%, twelve times higher than in the undriven system. We then cool this population back into the KCQ manifold with engineered dissipation, identify conditions under which this suppresses bit-flips, and demonstrate increased bit-flip times up to 3.6 milliseconds. By employing both Hamiltonian confinement and engineered dissipation, our experiment combines two paradigms for Schrödinger-cat qubit stabilization. Our results elucidate the interplay between these stabilization processes and indicate a path towards fully realizing the potential of these qubits for quantum error correction.