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Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurements

An Optoelectronic Pulse Drive for Quantum Voltage Synthesizer

Jane Ireland, Jonathan M. J. Williams, Oliver Kieler, Ralf Behr, Ernest Houtzager, Ralph Hornecker, Helko E. van den Brom

Published Jul 1, 2018• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

An optoelectronic pulse drive system based on commercially available telecoms optoelectronic components and a field programmable gate array (FPGA) has been developed. The system was used to drive a Josephson junction array (JJA) to synthesize quantum-accurate voltage waveforms. Results from preliminary demonstration of the system are presented showing the synthesis of a 3.1 kHz sine wave.

DOI
10.1109/cpem.2018.8500977

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An optoelectronic pulse drive system based on commercially available telecoms optoelectronic components and a field-programmable gate array has been developed. In order to allow the use of ac-coupled optoelectronic components, a method of adding and subtracting complementary pulses was developed. The system was used to drive a Josephson junction array to synthesize quantum-accurate voltage waveforms. These waveforms will be used in voltage waveform metrology applications. Results from the synthesis of sinusoidal unipolar voltage waveforms from 3 to 300 kHz are presented. The margin of operation was measured and shown to require an optical pulse height stability better than 0.15 mW. The use of delta-sigma code with repeated sections, suitable for a quantum voltage digitizer was also examined. A test code corresponding to a delta-sigma feedback loop rate of 250 MHz was used to synthesize a 3.125 kHz sinusoidal waveform.
Quantum-accurate arbitrary voltage waveforms have been generated using electrical pulse driven Josephson junction arrays (JJAs) by several groups [1, 2]. An alternative method is to use optoelectronic components to convert the electrical pulse drive into an optical signal which is subsequently converted by a photodiode into an electrical drive signal connected directly to the JJA. This optoelectronic pulse drive system has several advantages. Due to the electrical isolation between electrical pulse drive and JJA, it is possible to connect several arrays in series without the requirement for complex electrical compensation circuits. This allows larger output voltages to be realized. An optoelectronic drive also offers the ability to easily tune pulse height, via continuous optical attenuation, allowing the drive signal to be tuned to the middle of the JJA constant voltage step giving optimum operation margins. We here present an optoelectronic pulse drive which forms part of a system incorporating a JJA and delta sigma feedback loop [3] for quantum-accurate digitization of arbitrary voltage waveforms. Results showing the generation of quantum-accurate voltages synchronized to the feedback loop master clock are presented.
The optoelectronic coupling for a pulse-driven Josephson junction array (JJA) for use as a quantum voltage synthesizer has been designed. This system uses optoelectronic components to drive a group of JJAs in parallel. Since the drive system is electrically isolated from the JJAs, they can be connected in series, leading to a higher output voltage. A thin film circuit, including interdigitated capacitors to couple a photodiode to the JJAs has been designed and tested and shown to meet the design goals.
A pulse drive system capable of converting an arbitrary input signal into a delta sigma encoded pulse code stream in real time has been demonstrated. This system is based on the use of analog and digital hardware controlled by a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) rather than using software to produce the delta sigma code and then loading it into the memory of a commercial Pulse Pattern Generator (PPG). The results of using the system to drive a Josephson junction array to synthesize quantum-accurate voltage waveforms are presented. The advantage of such a system includes the significant reduction in time required to change waveform parameters. This provides an easily tunable source of high-fidelity stable voltage waveforms at low temperature for future applications including validation of components for use in quantum technologies.
An array of Josephson junctions (JJs) was driven with photonically generated current pulses to synthesize a high-fidelity 1 kHz bipolar voltage waveform with a quantum-based amplitude that can be directly related to fundamental constants. A photodiode capable of producing high average photocurrent was used to generate large-amplitude current pulses that were ac-coupled to a JJ array. The resulting bipolar current pulses have enabled the first demonstration of quantum-based bipolar waveform synthesis with an optical drive. We measured the quantum locking range with respect to several operating parameters, including 1.2 mA with respect to a dc bias current applied to the array, confirming the robust synthesis of bipolar waveforms.
This paper describes development of a new technique to drive Josephson junction arrays (JJA). We have designed and built an optical pulse generator (up to 12 GHz pulse rate) based on a mode-locked laser to feed an ultra-fast photodiode which again can drive current pulses to a JJA. Our preliminary experiments show that precise direct current (dc) voltages can be realized with a JJA with 5000 junctions. The work ultimately aims at development of an arbitrary pulse pattern generator allowing generation of precise arbitrary voltage waveforms.