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ARFTG Microwave Measurement Conference

A Cryogenic Quantum-Based RF Source

Justus A. Brevik, Alírio Boaventura, Manuel A. Castellanos-Beltran, Christine A. Donnelly, Nathan E. Flowers-Jacobs, Anna E. Fox, P. F. Hopkins, Paul D. Dresselhaus, Dylan Forrest Williams, Samuel P. Benz

Published Aug 4, 2020• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We performed a preliminary calibrated measurement of the output power of a Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizer up to 1 GHz. We present the results and measurement procedure for generating quantum-based signals using an array of Josephson junctions operating at cryogenic temperature and calibrating those signals to transfer the on-wafer quantum-based accuracy to room temperature.

DOI
10.1109/arftg47271.2020.9241378

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We performed a preliminary calibrated measurement of the output power of a Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizer up to 1 GHz. We present the results and measurement procedure for generating quantum-based signals using an array of Josephson junctions operating at cryogenic temperature and calibrating those signals to transfer the on-wafer quantum-based accuracy to room temperature.
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This article presents a superconducting voltage source that generates modulated microwave waveforms with quantum-based stability. The voltage source—an RF Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesizer (RF-JAWS)—uses a superconducting IC with an array of 4500 series-connected Josephson junctions (JJs) that are embedded in a coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission line. The JJs are driven with 100-ps wide current pulses that force each JJ to generate voltage pulses with a quantized integrated area. A pulse sequence is created using a delta-sigma ($\Delta –––\Sigma )algorithmtogeneratea101−tonewaveformwitha40−MHzinstantaneousbandwidtharound1005MHzwithaflatpowerdistributionof−53dBmandaSchroederphasedistribution.TheJJ’squantum−basednonlinearityproducesanamplitudestabilitywithrespecttovariousdriveandbiasparametersof±0.005dBandadetrendedphasestabilityof±0.05°.Thestabilityofthesourceisverifiedwithouttheneedforcalibratedmeasurements.Another) algorithm to generate a 101-tone waveform with a 40-MHz instantaneous bandwidth around 1005 MHz with a flat power distribution of −53 dBm and a Schroeder phase distribution. The JJ’s quantum-based nonlinearity produces an amplitude stability with respect to various drive and bias parameters of ±0.005 dB and a detrended phase stability of ±0.05°. The stability of the source is verified without the need for calibrated measurements. Another)algorithmtogeneratea101−tonewaveformwitha40−MHzinstantaneousbandwidtharound1005MHzwithaflatpowerdistributionof−53dBmandaSchroederphasedistribution.TheJJ’squantum−basednonlinearityproducesanamplitudestabilitywithrespecttovariousdriveandbiasparametersof±0.005dBandadetrendedphasestabilityof±0.05°.Thestabilityofthesourceisverifiedwithouttheneedforcalibratedmeasurements.Another\Delta –––\Sigma $pulse sequence generates a 10-MHz quadrature-phase shift-keying (QPSK) waveform on a 1005-MHz carrier that has the same stability and the mean error vector magnitude (EVM) of −48 dB. This work is a step toward creating a quantum-based reference source for power and cross-frequency phase calibrations, as well as a reference-modulated signal source for calibrating telecommunication links.
We review our development of Josephson-junction-based programmable reference sources to synthesize spectrally pure waveforms with quantum-based voltage accuracy for characterizing and improving future communication devices and systems. The goal is to provide sources that together span the entire radio frequency band, equivalent to seven orders of magnitude in frequency (20 kHz to 300 GHz). To synthesize waveforms in the microwave frequency band, we are extending the existing Josephson arbitrary waveform synthesizer (JAWS) technology used for ac voltage metrology at audio frequencies (<;20 kHz). Using new microwave circuits and experimental techniques, we demonstrate JAWS-based synthesis of single-tone waveforms at 1 GHz, with -49 dBm output power and 79 dBc spur-free dynamic range (SFDR). To synthesize waveforms in the millimeter-wave frequency band, we are exploiting single flux quantum (SFQ) superconducting digital technology to design circuits that amplify SFQ pulses using a network of pulse splitters. With our initial SFQ-based circuit, we demonstrate synthesis of a 4-GHz sine wave with -74 dBm output power and 70 dBc SFDR.
In this paper, the use of Josephson Arbitrary Waveform Synthesizer System's superconducting integrated circuit consisting of two Josephson Junctions arrays, for microwave power measurements is investigated. The critical current, the temperature dependent phenomena of the Josephson Junctions, is used to compare DC power and MW power reaching the neighbor array. Validation of the method is roughly demonstrated by measuring the attenuation of the waveguide used within the stick used to immerse the circuit to cryogenic environment. The attenuation of the waveguide is measured with the novel sensor and the conventional method. The preliminary results show 0.2 dB consistence of the attenuation measurements between the conventional and the novel method at different power levels at 1 GHz, that suggest that the method can be useful. To improve the repeatability and accuracy by automation, which is essential for such measurements, new power sensor is designed and presented.