Coexistence of Nonequilibrium Density and Equilibrium Energy Distribution of Quasiparticles in a Superconducting Qubit
Thomas Connolly, Pavel D. Kurilovich, Spencer Diamond +5 more
The density of quasiparticles typically observed in superconducting qubits exceeds the value expected in equilibrium by many orders of magnitude. Can this out-of-equilibrium quasiparticle density still possess an energy distribution in equilibrium with the phonon bath? Here, we answer this question affirmatively by measuring the thermal activation of charge-parity switching in a transmon qubit with a difference in superconducting gap on the two sides of the Josephson junction. We then demonstrate how the gap asymmetry of the device can be exploited to manipulate its parity.
arXiv:2302.12330•Physical Review Letters•May 20, 2024•54 citations