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arXiv:2611.00934

Single-Mode Squeezing Using Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing in a Dual-Pump TWPA

Anna Levochkina, Kirill Petrovnin, Iiro Harju, Jiaming Wang, Gheorghe Sorin Paraoanu

quant-phSubmitted Oct 31, 2026• Announced Nov 3, 2026
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Single-mode squeezing of the electromagnetic vacuum is a key resource for mode-selective noise reduction in quantum measurements. At microwave frequencies, single-mode squeezing is typically obtained by using Josephson and Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifiers designed for three-wave mixing operation. In single-pump degenerate four-wave mixing, the coincidence of pump, signal, and idler frequencies complicates separation of the squeezed field from the strong pump. A dual-pump configuration enables degenerate operation while keeping both pumps spectrally separated from the squeezed mode. Here, we demonstrate single-mode squeezing in a flux-tunable, dual-pump Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifier, employing reversed-Kerr phase matching. By independently calibrating the single-pump gains, we find that the strongest squeezing occurs along approximately balanced-gain trajectories, while the optimal squeezing does not necessarily correspond to the highest dual-pump gain. At flux biases $Φ_\mathrm{ext}/Φ_0 = 0.0$ and $0.5$, the minimum quadrature noise levels reach $-2.48 \pm 0.18~\mathrm{dB}$ and $-1.62 \pm 0.20~\mathrm{dB}$ relative to vacuum, respectively. These results establish the proposed architecture as a platform for single-mode squeezing in microwave continuous-variable quantum technologies.

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•Apr 13, 2021•11 citations
Single-mode squeezing of the electromagnetic vacuum is a key resource for mode-selective noise reduction in quantum measurements. At microwave frequencies, single-mode squeezing is typically obtained by using Josephson and Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifiers designed for three-wave mixing operation. In single-pump degenerate four-wave mixing, the coincidence of pump, signal, and idler frequencies complicates separation of the squeezed field from the strong pump. A dual-pump configuration enables degenerate operation while keeping both pumps spectrally separated from the squeezed mode. Here, we demonstrate single-mode squeezing in a flux-tunable, dual-pump Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifier, employing reversed-Kerr phase matching. By independently calibrating the single-pump gains, we find that the strongest squeezing occurs along approximately balanced-gain trajectories, while the optimal squeezing does not necessarily correspond to the highest dual-pump gain. At flux biases Φext/Φ0=0.0Φ_\mathrm{ext}/Φ_0 = 0.0Φext​/Φ0​=0.0 and 0.50.50.5, the minimum quadrature noise levels reach −2.48±0.18 dB-2.48 \pm 0.18~\mathrm{dB}−2.48±0.18 dB and −1.62±0.20 dB-1.62 \pm 0.20~\mathrm{dB}−1.62±0.20 dB relative to vacuum, respectively. These results establish the proposed architecture as a platform for single-mode squeezing in microwave continuous-variable quantum technologies.
Superconducting traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPA) have emerged as highly versatile devices, offering broadband amplification with quantum-limited noise performance. They hold significant potential for addressing the readout bottleneck in prototype quantum computers, enabling scalability. Key challenges with this technology include achieving sufficient gain with minimal gain ripple while maintaining low noise performance. Efficient phase matching between a weak signal and a strong pump over the entire length of the TWPA is critical to overcoming these challenges. We present an experimental demonstration of the inverse Kerr phase matching technique in a TWPA, first proposed in Ref. Phys. Rev. Appl. 4, 024014. This method addresses several limitations of conventional dispersion engineering approaches of phase matching in the four-wave mixing parametric process in TWPAs. Most notably the existence of an unusable region of gain near the pump frequency which typically corresponds to the region of most optimal phase matching and maximum gain. The inverse Kerr phase matching approach, allows for greater frequency separation between the region of optimal gain and pump, \textit{in situ} tunability of the pump, minimal gain ripple, and a compact footprint which reduces losses. A TWPA employing the inverse Kerr phase matching technique experimentally demonstrated 20 dB of gain over a 3 GHz instantaneous bandwidth, with a tunable bandwidth of 8 GHz, minimal gain ripple, and near quantum-limited noise performance, with 1.5 photons of added noise.
Recent demonstrations of squeezing generation using Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifiers (TWPAs) have opened the way for the application of broadband microwave squeezing in quantum sensing, quantum-enhanced detection, and continuous-variable quantum information. Here we demonstrate vacuum squeezing generation via residual three-wave mixing (3WM) in a Josephson TWPA based on superconducting nonlinear asymmetric inductive elements (SNAILs) with alternated magnetic flux polarity. By investigating competition between four-wave mixing (4WM) and 3WM nonlinearities, we prove that vacuum squeezing generation via residual 3WM is possible when a careful choice of the operating flux point is adopted. Our study provides valuable insights on the impact of competing nonlinearities on TWPA squeezers, potentially extending the range of applications in the framework of microwave photonics.
Traveling wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) have recently emerged as essential tools for broadband near quantum-limited amplification. However, their use to generate microwave quantum states still misses an experimental demonstration. In this Letter, we report operation of a TWPA as a source of two-mode squeezed microwave radiation. We demonstrate broadband entanglement generation between two modes separated by up to 400 MHz by measuring logarithmic negativity between 0.27 and 0.51 and collective quadrature squeezing below the vacuum limit between 1.5 and 2.1 dB. This work opens interesting perspectives for the exploration of novel microwave photonics experiments with possible applications in quantum sensing and continuous variable quantum computing.
Superconducting traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) are increasingly used in various applications, including quantum computing, quantum sensing, and dark matter detection. However, one important characteristic of these amplifiers, gain compression, has not received much attention. As a result, there is a lack of comprehensive experimental exploration of this phenomenon in the existing literature. In this study, we present an experimental investigation of gain compression in a Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifier based on a four-wave mixing process. We have implemented a novel setup to monitor the complex transmission of both the pump and signal tones, which allows us to simultaneously track pump depletion and signal amplification as functions of signal power and frequency across the entire bandwidth of the device. Our findings indicate that, while pump depletion occurs during gain compression, it is not the only mechanism involved in the saturation of a TWPA. Power-induced phase-matching processes also take place within the device. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing TWPAs for applications that require high total input power, such as multiplexed qubit readout or broadband photon emission.
Superconducting traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) are increasingly used in various applications, including quantum computing, quantum sensing, and dark matter detection. However, one important characteristic of these amplifiers, gain compression, has not received much attention. As a result, there is a lack of comprehensive experimental exploration of this phenomenon in the existing literature. In this study, we present an experimental investigation of gain compression in a Josephson traveling-wave parametric amplifier based on a four-wave mixing process. We have implemented a novel setup to monitor the complex transmission of both the pump and signal tones, which allows us to simultaneously track pump depletion and signal amplification as functions of signal power and frequency across the entire bandwidth of the device. Our findings indicate that, while pump depletion occurs during gain compression, it is not the only mechanism involved in the saturation of a TWPA. Power-induced phase-matching processes also take place within the device. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing TWPAs for applications that require high total input power, such as multiplexed qubit readout or broadband photon emission.
Abstract: We have performed a quantum mechanical analysis of travelling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) in order to investigate five experimental phenomena related to their operations, namely the effect of impedance mismatch, the presence of upper idler modes, the presence of quantum and thermal noise, the generation of squeezed states, and the preservation of pre-squeezed states during amplification. Our analysis uses momentum operators to describe the spatial evolution of quantised modes along a TWPA. We calculate the restriction placed on pump amplitude as well as amplifier gain as a result of impedance mismatch between a TWPA and its external system. We apply our analysis to upper idler modes and demonstrate that they will result in suppressed gain. We show that an ideal TWPA is indeed quantum-limited—i.e. it introduces a half-quantum of zero-point fluctuation which is the minimum possible noise contribution for a phase-preserving linear amplifier. We analyse the thermal noise associated with a TWPA by considering the effect of distributed sources along an amplifier transmission line. Our analysis predicts a doubling of thermal noise in the high gain limit as a result of wave-mixing between signal and idler modes. We study the operation of a TWPA in the presence of a DC bias current, and have shown that highly squeezed states can in principle be generated. However, amplifying a pre-squeezed state using a non-degenerate TWPA generally reduces the squeezing advantage.