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Physical Review Letters

Spectroscopy of Energy-Level Splitting between Two Macroscopic Quantum States of Charge Coherently Superposed by Josephson Coupling

Yasunobu Nakamura, C. D. Chen, J. S. Tsai

Published Sep 22, 1997• 205 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We study Cooper-pair tunneling in a voltage-biased superconducting single-electron transistor under microwave irradiation. By tracing the peak positions of a photon-assisted Josephson-quasiparticle current as a function of the microwave frequency, we observe an energy-dispersion curve in the quasicharge space. This shows that energy-level splitting occurs between two macroscopic quantum states of charge coherently superposed by Josephson coupling.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.79.2328

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Abstract A nanometre-scale superconducting electrode connected to a reservoir via a Josephson junction constitutes an artificial two-level electronic system: a single-Cooper-pair box. The two levels consist of charge states (differing by 2e, where e is the electronic charge) that are coupled by tunnelling of Cooper pairs through the junction. Although the two-level system is macroscopic, containing a large number of electrons, the two charge states can be coherently superposed1, 2, 3, 4. The Cooper-pair box has therefore been suggested5, 6, 7 as a candidate for a quantum bit or ‘qubit’—the basic component of a quantum computer. Here we report the observation of quantum oscillations in a single-Cooper-pair box. By applying a short voltage pulse via a gate electrode, we can control the coherent quantum state evolution: the pulse modifies the energies of the two charge states non-adiabatically, bringing them into resonance. The resulting state—a superposition of the two charge states—is detected by a tunnelling current through a probe junction. Our results demonstrate electrical coherent control of a qubit in a solid-state electronic device.