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Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics

Studies of a low noise, laser actuated superconducting switch

Charles E. Cunningham, Blas Cabrera

Published Apr 24, 1989• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

A SQUID is the most sensitive magnetometer available. The sensitivity is limited by the intrinsic noise which is white at high frequencies and increases inversely with frequency below a frequency called the 1/f knee. The sensitivity above the 1/f knee is typically better than 10−10GHz−1/2, but below the 1/f knee it can be orders of magnitude worse. This is a serious problem for those measurements which are intrinsically low frequency or dc; for them it is important to circumvent the 1/f noise. A well-known technique for reducing amplifier noise is applied schematically to a SQUID in Fig. 1.1 The low frequency signal is modulated at a frequency above the 1/f knee. The SQUID sees a high frequency signal and in amplification adds white noise rather than 1/f noise. The signal from the SQUID is then demodulated, recovering the original signal. This scheme requires a high speed, low noise superconducting switch. We have developed and tested such a switch.

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Noise reduction in low-frequency SQUID measurements with laser-driven switching

Charles E. Cunningham, George S. Park, Blas Cabrera +1 more

We have developed a technique to modulate the input to a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) using a very low noise double-pole, double-throw switching network. This network is composed of four niobium microbridges that are driven normal in pairs by pulses of laser light. An input signal is modulated at a frequency above the 1/f noise regime, amplified by the SQUID, and subsequently demodulated to obtain an output in which the excess low-frequency SQUID noise has been removed. With this technique, we have reduced the low-frequency noise by an order of magnitude in energy over measurements made without this technique.

Applied Physics Letters•Aug 23, 1993•6 citations

1/f noise in radio frequency SQUIDs made of niobium thin films

Michael Mueck, John L. Clarke, Christoph Heiden

Applications of Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs) usually require high sensitivity at relatively low frequencies, often down to 1 Hz or lower. Excess noise, typically with a spectral density scaling inversely as the frequency, can substantially reduce the sensitivity of SQUIDs at low frequencies. We have studied 1/f noise in niobium rf-SQUIDs in some detail. To reduce any noise contribution of the readout electronics, a cryogenic preamplifier was used. When one measures the signal voltage of the SQUID directly, a pronounced 1/f noise was observed in all samples, and was nearly independent of the bias frequency used. The crossover between 1/f and white noise moved towards higher frequencies as the bias frequency was increased, because of a lower white noise contribution. The 1/f noise scaled approximately as the inductance of the SQUID. When operated in a flux locked loop, however, no 1/f noise could be observed above 0.5 Hz. Operating a rf SQUID in a flux locked loop can thus substantially reduce 1/f noise in rf SQUIDs.

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Low-noise ultra-high-speed dc SQUID readout electronics

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User-friendly ultra-high-speed readout electronics for dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are presented. To maximize the system bandwidth, the SQUID is directly read out without flux modulation. A composite preamplifier is used consisting of a slow dc amplifier in parallel with a fast ac amplifier. In this way, excellent dc precision and a high amplifier bandwidth of 50 MHz are achieved, simultaneously. A virtual 50 Ω amplifier input resistance with negligible excess noise is realized by active shunting, i.e., by applying feedback from preamplifier output to input via a high resistance. The white voltage and current noise levels are 0.33 nV Hz −1 and 2.6 pA Hz −1/2 , respectively. The electronics is fully computer controlled via a microcontroller integrated into the flux-locked loop (FLL) board. Easy-to-use software makes the various electronic settings accessible. A wide bias voltage range of 1.3 mV enables the readout of series SQUID arrays. Furthermore, additional current sources allow the operation of two-stage SQUIDs or transition edge sensors. The electronics was tested using various SQUIDs with input inductances between 30 nH and 1.5 µH. Typically, the maximum FLL bandwidth was 20 MHz, which is close to the theoretical limit given by transmission line delay within the FLL. Slew rates of up to 4.6 Φ 0 µs −1 were achieved with series SQUID arrays. Current noise levels as low as 0.47 pA Hz −1/2 and coupled energy sensitivities between 90 h and 500 h were measured at 4.2 K, where h is the Planck constant. The noise did not degrade when the system bandwidth was increased to the maximum value of about 20 MHz. With a two-stage set-up, intrinsic white energy sensitivities of 30 h and 2.3 h were measured at 4.2 and 0.3 K, respectively.

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Lateral superconductor/graphene structures can be used to make Josephson junctions with low contact resistances and gate-tuneable critical currents. These junctions have the potential to provide new functionality for superconducting devices. For most devices, e.g. transmon qubits and SQUID sensors, it is important to quantify the intrinsic noise of the junctions. The voltage noise of low resistance junctions is typically below the noise floor of room temperature amplifiers. By cross-correlating the signals from two parallel amplifiers, we can detect signals down to 100 pV/√Hz, well below the noise floor of each amplifier. Using this technique, we characterise the voltage noise of a NbTi DC SQUID with graphene junctions in a frequency range from Hz to kHz. Combined with measurements of the SQUID's gain, we map its sensitivity across a range of operating conditions and find that the best-case sensitivity of the device is similar to traditional low temperature SQUIDs with oxide tunnel junctions. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant agreement No 785219.

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Ronald T. Wakai, Dale J. Van Harlingen

We have fabricated and characterized the noise performance of submicron edge junction dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID’s) which exhibit excellent signal properties and extremely high flux sensitivity. At frequencies above about 3 MHz, the SQUID noise is white and is in reasonable agreement with computer simulations for a thermal noise-limited detector. In one device the measured flux energy resolution is 1.6±0.5ℏ at 1.5 K, within a factor of 2 of the quantum-limited value suggested by theoretical modeling.

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Review of low-noise radio-frequency amplifiers based on superconducting quantum interference device

Y.H. Lee, Yonuk Chong, Yannis Kyriakos Semertzidis

Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) is a sensitive detector of magnetic flux signals. Up to now, the main application of SQUIDs has been measurements of magnetic flux signals in the frequency range from near DC to several MHz. Recently, cryogenic low-noise radio-frequency (RF) amplifiers based on DC SQUID are under development aiming to detect RF signals with sensitivity approaching quantum limit. In this paper, we review the recent progress of cryogenic low-noise RF amplifiers based on SQUID technology.

Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics•Dec 31, 2014•0 citations
A SQUID is the most sensitive magnetometer available. The sensitivity is limited by the intrinsic noise which is white at high frequencies and increases inversely with frequency below a frequency called the 1/f knee. The sensitivity above the 1/f knee is typically better than 10−10GHz−1/2, but below the 1/f knee it can be orders of magnitude worse. This is a serious problem for those measurements which are intrinsically low frequency or dc; for them it is important to circumvent the 1/f noise. A well-known technique for reducing amplifier noise is applied schematically to a SQUID in Fig. 1.1 The low frequency signal is modulated at a frequency above the 1/f knee. The SQUID sees a high frequency signal and in amplification adds white noise rather than 1/f noise. The signal from the SQUID is then demodulated, recovering the original signal. This scheme requires a high speed, low noise superconducting switch. We have developed and tested such a switch.
We have developed a technique to modulate the input to a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) using a very low noise double-pole, double-throw switching network. This network is composed of four niobium microbridges that are driven normal in pairs by pulses of laser light. An input signal is modulated at a frequency above the 1/f noise regime, amplified by the SQUID, and subsequently demodulated to obtain an output in which the excess low-frequency SQUID noise has been removed. With this technique, we have reduced the low-frequency noise by an order of magnitude in energy over measurements made without this technique.
Applications of Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs) usually require high sensitivity at relatively low frequencies, often down to 1 Hz or lower. Excess noise, typically with a spectral density scaling inversely as the frequency, can substantially reduce the sensitivity of SQUIDs at low frequencies. We have studied 1/f noise in niobium rf-SQUIDs in some detail. To reduce any noise contribution of the readout electronics, a cryogenic preamplifier was used. When one measures the signal voltage of the SQUID directly, a pronounced 1/f noise was observed in all samples, and was nearly independent of the bias frequency used. The crossover between 1/f and white noise moved towards higher frequencies as the bias frequency was increased, because of a lower white noise contribution. The 1/f noise scaled approximately as the inductance of the SQUID. When operated in a flux locked loop, however, no 1/f noise could be observed above 0.5 Hz. Operating a rf SQUID in a flux locked loop can thus substantially reduce 1/f noise in rf SQUIDs.
User-friendly ultra-high-speed readout electronics for dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are presented. To maximize the system bandwidth, the SQUID is directly read out without flux modulation. A composite preamplifier is used consisting of a slow dc amplifier in parallel with a fast ac amplifier. In this way, excellent dc precision and a high amplifier bandwidth of 50 MHz are achieved, simultaneously. A virtual 50 Ω amplifier input resistance with negligible excess noise is realized by active shunting, i.e., by applying feedback from preamplifier output to input via a high resistance. The white voltage and current noise levels are 0.33 nV Hz −1 and 2.6 pA Hz −1/2 , respectively. The electronics is fully computer controlled via a microcontroller integrated into the flux-locked loop (FLL) board. Easy-to-use software makes the various electronic settings accessible. A wide bias voltage range of 1.3 mV enables the readout of series SQUID arrays. Furthermore, additional current sources allow the operation of two-stage SQUIDs or transition edge sensors. The electronics was tested using various SQUIDs with input inductances between 30 nH and 1.5 µH. Typically, the maximum FLL bandwidth was 20 MHz, which is close to the theoretical limit given by transmission line delay within the FLL. Slew rates of up to 4.6 Φ 0 µs −1 were achieved with series SQUID arrays. Current noise levels as low as 0.47 pA Hz −1/2 and coupled energy sensitivities between 90 h and 500 h were measured at 4.2 K, where h is the Planck constant. The noise did not degrade when the system bandwidth was increased to the maximum value of about 20 MHz. With a two-stage set-up, intrinsic white energy sensitivities of 30 h and 2.3 h were measured at 4.2 and 0.3 K, respectively.
Lateral superconductor/graphene structures can be used to make Josephson junctions with low contact resistances and gate-tuneable critical currents. These junctions have the potential to provide new functionality for superconducting devices. For most devices, e.g. transmon qubits and SQUID sensors, it is important to quantify the intrinsic noise of the junctions. The voltage noise of low resistance junctions is typically below the noise floor of room temperature amplifiers. By cross-correlating the signals from two parallel amplifiers, we can detect signals down to 100 pV/√Hz, well below the noise floor of each amplifier. Using this technique, we characterise the voltage noise of a NbTi DC SQUID with graphene junctions in a frequency range from Hz to kHz. Combined with measurements of the SQUID's gain, we map its sensitivity across a range of operating conditions and find that the best-case sensitivity of the device is similar to traditional low temperature SQUIDs with oxide tunnel junctions. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant agreement No 785219.
We have fabricated and characterized the noise performance of submicron edge junction dc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID’s) which exhibit excellent signal properties and extremely high flux sensitivity. At frequencies above about 3 MHz, the SQUID noise is white and is in reasonable agreement with computer simulations for a thermal noise-limited detector. In one device the measured flux energy resolution is 1.6±0.5ℏ at 1.5 K, within a factor of 2 of the quantum-limited value suggested by theoretical modeling.
Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) is a sensitive detector of magnetic flux signals. Up to now, the main application of SQUIDs has been measurements of magnetic flux signals in the frequency range from near DC to several MHz. Recently, cryogenic low-noise radio-frequency (RF) amplifiers based on DC SQUID are under development aiming to detect RF signals with sensitivity approaching quantum limit. In this paper, we review the recent progress of cryogenic low-noise RF amplifiers based on SQUID technology.