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

IEICE Transactions on Electronics

Design and Implementation of RSFQ Microwave Choppers for the Superconducting Quantum-Computing System

Naoki Takeuchi, Yuki Yamanashi, Nobuyuki Yoshikawa

Published Jan 1, 2010• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We have been studying a superconducting quantum-computing system where superconducting qubits are controlled and read out by rapid single-flux- quantum (RSFQ) circuits. In this study, we designed and fabricated an RSFQ microwave chopper, which turns on and off an externally applied microwave to control qubit states with the time resolution of sub-nanosecond. The chopper is implemented in a microwave module and mounted in a dilution refrigerator. We tested the microwave chopper at 4.2K. The amplitude of the output microwave was approximately 100μV which is much larger than that of previously designed chopper. We also confirmed that the irradiation time can be controlled by RSFQ control circuits.

DOI
10.1587/transele.e93.c.458

Related papers

Implementation of SFQ Microwave Choppers for Controlling Quantum Bits

Shu Miura, Naoki Takeuchi, Yuki Yamanashi +1 more

In order to control the state of qubits by a microwave pulse, the irradiation time and the amplitude have to be controlled precisely. We have developed a single-flux-quantum (SFQ) microwave chopper for high-speed switching of microwave pulses. The proposed chopper is composed of a DC/SFQ convertor, an SFQ switch, a PTL driver, and a superconducting low-pass filter (LPF). The chopper converts an input microwave, which is generated by an external microwave generator at the room temperature, into microwave pulses by using start/stop SFQ control signals. We designed and implemented a microwave chopper module, which can be attached to dilution refrigerators. SFQ chips were fabricated using the ISTEC 2.5 kA/cm2 Nb process. We tested the microwave chopper module at 4.2 K, and demonstrated that a 5-GHz microwave whose amplitude ranging from 0 μV to 150 μV can be chopped by the SFQ control signals.

Physics Procedia•Jan 1, 2012•3 citations

Design of an SFQ Microwave Chopper for Controlling Quantum Bits

G. Matsuda, Yuki Yamanashi, Nobuyuki Yoshikawa

A microwave chopper using single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuits is proposed for the control of quantum bits (qubits). The proposed microwave chopper is composed of a DC/SFQ converter, an SFQ switch and a band-pass filter (BPF). In operation, an externally applied microwave is input to a DC/SFQ converter to generate an SFQ pulse train, which is chopped at high speed by the SFQ switch. The SFQ pulse train is then filtered by the BPF to remove higher harmonics. The transient response, the amplitude and the spectrum of the microwave output from the chopper were examined by circuit simulation, taking into account the thermal noise. The chopper was implemented using the SRL 2.5 kA/cm2Nb standard process and its characteristics were investigated. It was shown that the microwave output could be successfully chopped by the SFQ switch. The amplitude and line width of the microwave output were measured as 15 muV and 2 Hz at 7 GHz.

IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity•Jun 1, 2007•14 citations

RSFQ based microwave controller for qubit

Raihan Rafique, Thomas Ohki, Henrik Engseth +1 more

We present a Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) microwave controller for superconducting qubits. Applying microwaves from room temperature sources is the conventional approach to excite quantum state transitions. Finding a method to apply short microwave bursts with a narrow linewidth is a challenge for on-chip Josephson based oscillators. We present a scheme containing an RSFQ pulse generator, ultra narrowband filter, SQUID based resonator and coupler. The operating frequency of the designed controller is 3-6 GHz. The unique feature of this design is a SQUID based resonator. By varying magnetic field in the SQUID, the\nresonance length can be varied between λ/4 and λ/2. The\nresonator is added as a shunt between the filter and coupler. Transmission of microwave signals from the filter to the output is determined by the shunt resonance. RSFQ T flip-flop circuit is designed to control the magnetic field applied to the SQUID in the resonator. Miniaturization of the coupler of 2-10 GHz has been done using a quasi-lumped element designed. We present the simulations results for the frequency response of\ndifferent resonance lengths of the modulator.

•Jan 1, 2007•1 citation

Timing Controller for a Superconductor Microwave Switch using Adiabatic Quantum Flux Parametron Circuits

Hongxiang Shen, Naoki Takeuchi, Yuki Yamanashi +1 more

We are developing a microwave pulse generator, whose pulse width and amplitude can be arbitrarily controlled, to manipulate superconducting quantum computing systems. The proposed microwave pulse generator is made using superconducting circuits. It can be placed at a 4.2 K or lower temperature stages to control a large-scale quantum computing system effectively. One of the key components of the microwave pulse generator is the timing controller, which generates trigger pulses for the microwave switch to start and stop the microwave irradiation. The target frequency of the microwave is 5 GHz, and the timing controller has to generate trigger pulses with a time resolution of several nanoseconds. We designed a 4-bit timing controller using an adiabatic quantum flux parametron (AQFP) circuit, which is extremely energy-efficient superconducting logic. The designed timing controller derives two trigger pulses, start and stop, to the microwave switch at the timing designated by digital data. We implemented the AQFP timing controller using the AIST HSTP process and demonstrated its operation at 1 GHz. Its power dissipation was estimated as about 1.25×10-9 W at 1 GHz.

IEEJ Transactions on Fundamentals and Materials•Apr 30, 2022•0 citations

Amplitude-controllable microwave pulse generator using single-flux-quantum pulse pairs for qubit control

Hongxiang Shen, Naoki Takeuchi, Yuki Yamanashi +1 more

Abstract To achieve large-scale quantum processors, cryogenic quantum-bit (qubit) interface circuits that can control qubits inside a dilution refrigerator are indispensable. Superconducting single-flux quantum (SFQ) circuits are a promising building block for qubit interface circuits because SFQ circuits can operate with high clock frequencies and low power dissipation. In the present study, we developed an SFQ-based qubit interface circuit that we refer to as a pulse-pair microwave pulse generator (PP-MPG). The PP-MPG can generate microwave pulses for qubit control, with the microwave amplitude controlled based on the delay between paired SFQ pulses. By finely adjusting the delay with delay controlling circuits, the microwave amplitude can be controlled over a wide range. We fabricated a PP-MPG chip and tested it at 4.2 K, showing that the microwave amplitude can be controlled over a range of approximately 30 dB. Our results show that the PP-MPG has the potential for use in future large-scale quantum processors.

Superconductor Science and Technology•Jul 19, 2023•9 citations

Design of an RSFQ control circuit to observe MQC on an rfSQUID

Roberto Rey-de-Castro, Mark F. Bocko, Andrea M. Herr +2 more

Abstract—We believe that the best chance to observe macroscopic quantum coherence (MQC) in an rf-SQUID qubit is to use on-chip RSFQ digital circuits for preparing, evolving and reading out the qubit’s quantum state. This approach allows experiments to be conducted on a very short time scale (sub-nanosecond) without the use of large bandwidth control lines that would couple environmental degrees of freedom to the qubit, thus contributing to its decoherence. In this paper we present our design of an RSFQ digital control circuit for demonstrating MQC in an rf-SQUID. We assess some of the key practical issues in the circuit design including the achievement of the necessary flux bias stability. We present an "active" isolation structure to be used to increase coherence times. The structure decouples the SQUID from external degrees of freedom, and then couples it to the output measurement circuitry when required, all under the active control of RSFQ circuits. Index Terms—superconducting qubit, macroscopic quantum coherence, RSFQ control.

•Jan 1, 2001•16 citations
We have been studying a superconducting quantum-computing system where superconducting qubits are controlled and read out by rapid single-flux- quantum (RSFQ) circuits. In this study, we designed and fabricated an RSFQ microwave chopper, which turns on and off an externally applied microwave to control qubit states with the time resolution of sub-nanosecond. The chopper is implemented in a microwave module and mounted in a dilution refrigerator. We tested the microwave chopper at 4.2K. The amplitude of the output microwave was approximately 100μV which is much larger than that of previously designed chopper. We also confirmed that the irradiation time can be controlled by RSFQ control circuits.
In order to control the state of qubits by a microwave pulse, the irradiation time and the amplitude have to be controlled precisely. We have developed a single-flux-quantum (SFQ) microwave chopper for high-speed switching of microwave pulses. The proposed chopper is composed of a DC/SFQ convertor, an SFQ switch, a PTL driver, and a superconducting low-pass filter (LPF). The chopper converts an input microwave, which is generated by an external microwave generator at the room temperature, into microwave pulses by using start/stop SFQ control signals. We designed and implemented a microwave chopper module, which can be attached to dilution refrigerators. SFQ chips were fabricated using the ISTEC 2.5 kA/cm2 Nb process. We tested the microwave chopper module at 4.2 K, and demonstrated that a 5-GHz microwave whose amplitude ranging from 0 μV to 150 μV can be chopped by the SFQ control signals.
A microwave chopper using single-flux-quantum (SFQ) circuits is proposed for the control of quantum bits (qubits). The proposed microwave chopper is composed of a DC/SFQ converter, an SFQ switch and a band-pass filter (BPF). In operation, an externally applied microwave is input to a DC/SFQ converter to generate an SFQ pulse train, which is chopped at high speed by the SFQ switch. The SFQ pulse train is then filtered by the BPF to remove higher harmonics. The transient response, the amplitude and the spectrum of the microwave output from the chopper were examined by circuit simulation, taking into account the thermal noise. The chopper was implemented using the SRL 2.5 kA/cm2Nb standard process and its characteristics were investigated. It was shown that the microwave output could be successfully chopped by the SFQ switch. The amplitude and line width of the microwave output were measured as 15 muV and 2 Hz at 7 GHz.
We present a Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) microwave controller for superconducting qubits. Applying microwaves from room temperature sources is the conventional approach to excite quantum state transitions. Finding a method to apply short microwave bursts with a narrow linewidth is a challenge for on-chip Josephson based oscillators. We present a scheme containing an RSFQ pulse generator, ultra narrowband filter, SQUID based resonator and coupler. The operating frequency of the designed controller is 3-6 GHz. The unique feature of this design is a SQUID based resonator. By varying magnetic field in the SQUID, the\nresonance length can be varied between λ/4 and λ/2. The\nresonator is added as a shunt between the filter and coupler. Transmission of microwave signals from the filter to the output is determined by the shunt resonance. RSFQ T flip-flop circuit is designed to control the magnetic field applied to the SQUID in the resonator. Miniaturization of the coupler of 2-10 GHz has been done using a quasi-lumped element designed. We present the simulations results for the frequency response of\ndifferent resonance lengths of the modulator.
We are developing a microwave pulse generator, whose pulse width and amplitude can be arbitrarily controlled, to manipulate superconducting quantum computing systems. The proposed microwave pulse generator is made using superconducting circuits. It can be placed at a 4.2 K or lower temperature stages to control a large-scale quantum computing system effectively. One of the key components of the microwave pulse generator is the timing controller, which generates trigger pulses for the microwave switch to start and stop the microwave irradiation. The target frequency of the microwave is 5 GHz, and the timing controller has to generate trigger pulses with a time resolution of several nanoseconds. We designed a 4-bit timing controller using an adiabatic quantum flux parametron (AQFP) circuit, which is extremely energy-efficient superconducting logic. The designed timing controller derives two trigger pulses, start and stop, to the microwave switch at the timing designated by digital data. We implemented the AQFP timing controller using the AIST HSTP process and demonstrated its operation at 1 GHz. Its power dissipation was estimated as about 1.25×10-9 W at 1 GHz.
Abstract To achieve large-scale quantum processors, cryogenic quantum-bit (qubit) interface circuits that can control qubits inside a dilution refrigerator are indispensable. Superconducting single-flux quantum (SFQ) circuits are a promising building block for qubit interface circuits because SFQ circuits can operate with high clock frequencies and low power dissipation. In the present study, we developed an SFQ-based qubit interface circuit that we refer to as a pulse-pair microwave pulse generator (PP-MPG). The PP-MPG can generate microwave pulses for qubit control, with the microwave amplitude controlled based on the delay between paired SFQ pulses. By finely adjusting the delay with delay controlling circuits, the microwave amplitude can be controlled over a wide range. We fabricated a PP-MPG chip and tested it at 4.2 K, showing that the microwave amplitude can be controlled over a range of approximately 30 dB. Our results show that the PP-MPG has the potential for use in future large-scale quantum processors.
Abstract—We believe that the best chance to observe macroscopic quantum coherence (MQC) in an rf-SQUID qubit is to use on-chip RSFQ digital circuits for preparing, evolving and reading out the qubit’s quantum state. This approach allows experiments to be conducted on a very short time scale (sub-nanosecond) without the use of large bandwidth control lines that would couple environmental degrees of freedom to the qubit, thus contributing to its decoherence. In this paper we present our design of an RSFQ digital control circuit for demonstrating MQC in an rf-SQUID. We assess some of the key practical issues in the circuit design including the achievement of the necessary flux bias stability. We present an "active" isolation structure to be used to increase coherence times. The structure decouples the SQUID from external degrees of freedom, and then couples it to the output measurement circuitry when required, all under the active control of RSFQ circuits. Index Terms—superconducting qubit, macroscopic quantum coherence, RSFQ control.