Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Scientific Reports

Suppression of magnetic vortex losses in submicron NbN coplanar waveguide resonators

Ariel Roitman, L. Burlachkov, Amos Sharoni, A. Shaulov, Yosef Yeshurun

Published Nov 2, 2024• 1 citation
Publisher

Abstract

We present a method for improving the performance of microwave coplanar resonators in magnetic fields, by using narrow superconducting strips of width close to the London penetration depth. In a range of low fields, the narrow strips inhibit the presence of magnetic vortices, thus preventing the generation of losses caused by their motion, leading to enhanced resistance to magnetic fields. Our method provides a more straightforward solution compared to previously proposed techniques designed to restrict vortex motion, holding potential for the development of improved devices based on microwave resonators.

DOI
10.1038/s41598-024-76166-7

Related papers

Improving the performance of superconducting microwave resonators in magnetic fields

Daniel Bothner, T. Gaber, M. Kemmler +2 more

The operation of superconducting coplanar waveguide cavities, as used for circuit quantum electrodynamics and kinetic inductance detectors, in perpendicular magnetic fields normally leads to a reduction of the device performance due to energy dissipating Abrikosov vortices. We experimentally investigate the vortex induced energy losses in such Nb resonators with different spatial distributions of micropatterned pinning sites (antidots) by transmission spectroscopy measurements at 4.2 K. In comparison to resonators without antidots we find a significant reduction of vortex induced losses and thus increased quality factors over a broad range of frequencies and applied powers in moderate fields.

arXiv:1101.3185•Applied Physics Letters•Mar 7, 2011•63 citations

Magnetic-Field-Resilient Superconducting Coplanar-Waveguide Resonators for Hybrid Circuit Quantum Electrodynamics Experiments

J.G. Kroll, Francesco Borsoi, Kian L. van der Enden +10 more

Superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators that can operate in strong magnetic fields are important for a variety of high-frequency superconducting devices. Magnetic fields degrade resonator performance by creating Abrikosov vortices that cause resistive losses and frequency fluctuations, or suppress the superconductivity entirely. To mitigate these effects, the authors investigate how device geometry and lithographically defined artificial defects can control vortex dynamics. These techniques allow the resonators to retain single-photon quality factors of about 10${}^{5}$ at ${B}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ \ensuremath{\simeq} 6 T, for fast charge readout of a gate-defined double quantum dot at ${B}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ = 1 T.

arXiv:1809.03932•Physical Review Applied•Jun 24, 2019•116 citations

Observation of individual vortex penetration in a coplanar superconducting resonator

Kirill Shulga, Shunsuke Nishimura, Pavel A. Volkov +7 more

We demonstrate the microwave signatures of individual Abrikosov-vortex penetration events in superconducting microwave resonators. $λ/4$ resonators with a narrowed region near the grounded end acting as a vortex trap were fabricated and studied using microwave transmission spectroscopy at millikelvin temperatures. Sharp stepwise drops in resonance frequency are detected as a function of increasing external magnetic field, attributed to the entry of individual Abrikosov vortices in the narrow region. This interpretation is confirmed by NV center magnetometry revealing discrete vortex entry events on increasing field and the absence of such drops in a device with a wider narrowed region. Our results establish a method to investigate and manipulate the states of Abrikosov vortices with microwaves access and readout vortex configurations using magnetic-field sweeps and microwave drive.

cond-mat.supr-conCross-listedarXiv:2512.00790•Physical Review Letters•Dec 2, 2025•1 citation

Reducing Microwave Loss in Superconducting Resonators due to Trapped Vortices

Plourde, Britton, Chao Song, M. P. DeFeo +1 more

Microwave resonators with high quality factors have enabled many recent breakthroughs with superconducting qubits and photon detectors, typically operated in shielded environments to reduce the ambient magnetic field. Insufficient shielding or pulsed control fields can introduce vortices, leading to reduced quality factors, although increased pinning can mitigate this effect. A narrow slot etched into the resonator surface provides a straightforward method for pinning enhancement without otherwise affecting the resonator. Resonators patterned with such a slot exhibited over an order of magnitude reduction in the excess loss due to vortices compared with identical resonators from the same film with no slot.

•Nov 16, 2009•32 citations

Reducing microwave loss in superconducting resonators due to trapped vortices

C. Song, M. P. DeFeo, K. Yu +1 more

Microwave resonators with high quality factors have enabled many recent breakthroughs with superconducting qubits and photon detectors, typically operated in shielded environments to reduce the ambient magnetic field. Insufficient shielding or pulsed control fields can introduce vortices, leading to reduced quality factors, although increased pinning can mitigate this effect. A narrow slot etched into the resonator surface provides a straightforward method for pinning enhancement without otherwise affecting the resonator. Resonators patterned with such a slot exhibited over an order of magnitude reduction in the excess loss due to vortices compared with identical resonators from the same film with no slot.

arXiv:0911.3131•Applied Physics Letters•Dec 7, 2009•61 citations

Magnetic hysteresis effects in superconducting coplanar microwave resonators

Daniel Bothner, T. Gaber, M. Kemmler +4 more

We performed transmission spectroscopy experiments on coplanar half-wavelength niobium resonators at temperature $T=4.2\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}$K. We observe not only a strong dependence of the quality factor $Q$ and the resonance frequency ${f}_{\mathrm{res}}$ on an externally applied magnetic field but also on the magnetic history of our resonators, i.e., on the spatial distribution of trapped Abrikosov vortices in the device. This is valid for a broad range of frequencies and angles between the resonator plane and the magnetic field direction and holds for resonators with and without antidots near the edges of the center conductor and the ground planes. In a detailed analysis, we show that characteristic features of the experimental data can only be reproduced by calculations if we assume a highly inhomogeneous rf current density and a flux density gradient with maxima at the edges of the superconductor. We furthermore demonstrate that the hysteretic behavior of the resonator properties can be used to considerably reduce the vortex-induced losses and to fine-tune the resonance frequency by the proper way of cycling to a desired magnetic field value.

arXiv:1202.5963•Physical Review B•Jul 20, 2012•69 citations
We present a method for improving the performance of microwave coplanar resonators in magnetic fields, by using narrow superconducting strips of width close to the London penetration depth. In a range of low fields, the narrow strips inhibit the presence of magnetic vortices, thus preventing the generation of losses caused by their motion, leading to enhanced resistance to magnetic fields. Our method provides a more straightforward solution compared to previously proposed techniques designed to restrict vortex motion, holding potential for the development of improved devices based on microwave resonators.
The operation of superconducting coplanar waveguide cavities, as used for circuit quantum electrodynamics and kinetic inductance detectors, in perpendicular magnetic fields normally leads to a reduction of the device performance due to energy dissipating Abrikosov vortices. We experimentally investigate the vortex induced energy losses in such Nb resonators with different spatial distributions of micropatterned pinning sites (antidots) by transmission spectroscopy measurements at 4.2 K. In comparison to resonators without antidots we find a significant reduction of vortex induced losses and thus increased quality factors over a broad range of frequencies and applied powers in moderate fields.
Superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators that can operate in strong magnetic fields are important for a variety of high-frequency superconducting devices. Magnetic fields degrade resonator performance by creating Abrikosov vortices that cause resistive losses and frequency fluctuations, or suppress the superconductivity entirely. To mitigate these effects, the authors investigate how device geometry and lithographically defined artificial defects can control vortex dynamics. These techniques allow the resonators to retain single-photon quality factors of about 105{}^{5}5 at ${B}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ \ensuremath{\simeq} 6 T, for fast charge readout of a gate-defined double quantum dot at ${B}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}$ = 1 T.
We demonstrate the microwave signatures of individual Abrikosov-vortex penetration events in superconducting microwave resonators. λ/4λ/4λ/4 resonators with a narrowed region near the grounded end acting as a vortex trap were fabricated and studied using microwave transmission spectroscopy at millikelvin temperatures. Sharp stepwise drops in resonance frequency are detected as a function of increasing external magnetic field, attributed to the entry of individual Abrikosov vortices in the narrow region. This interpretation is confirmed by NV center magnetometry revealing discrete vortex entry events on increasing field and the absence of such drops in a device with a wider narrowed region. Our results establish a method to investigate and manipulate the states of Abrikosov vortices with microwaves access and readout vortex configurations using magnetic-field sweeps and microwave drive.
Microwave resonators with high quality factors have enabled many recent breakthroughs with superconducting qubits and photon detectors, typically operated in shielded environments to reduce the ambient magnetic field. Insufficient shielding or pulsed control fields can introduce vortices, leading to reduced quality factors, although increased pinning can mitigate this effect. A narrow slot etched into the resonator surface provides a straightforward method for pinning enhancement without otherwise affecting the resonator. Resonators patterned with such a slot exhibited over an order of magnitude reduction in the excess loss due to vortices compared with identical resonators from the same film with no slot.
Microwave resonators with high quality factors have enabled many recent breakthroughs with superconducting qubits and photon detectors, typically operated in shielded environments to reduce the ambient magnetic field. Insufficient shielding or pulsed control fields can introduce vortices, leading to reduced quality factors, although increased pinning can mitigate this effect. A narrow slot etched into the resonator surface provides a straightforward method for pinning enhancement without otherwise affecting the resonator. Resonators patterned with such a slot exhibited over an order of magnitude reduction in the excess loss due to vortices compared with identical resonators from the same film with no slot.
We performed transmission spectroscopy experiments on coplanar half-wavelength niobium resonators at temperature T=4.2T=4.2\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}T=4.2K. We observe not only a strong dependence of the quality factor QQQ and the resonance frequency fres{f}_{\mathrm{res}}fres​ on an externally applied magnetic field but also on the magnetic history of our resonators, i.e., on the spatial distribution of trapped Abrikosov vortices in the device. This is valid for a broad range of frequencies and angles between the resonator plane and the magnetic field direction and holds for resonators with and without antidots near the edges of the center conductor and the ground planes. In a detailed analysis, we show that characteristic features of the experimental data can only be reproduced by calculations if we assume a highly inhomogeneous rf current density and a flux density gradient with maxima at the edges of the superconductor. We furthermore demonstrate that the hysteretic behavior of the resonator properties can be used to considerably reduce the vortex-induced losses and to fine-tune the resonance frequency by the proper way of cycling to a desired magnetic field value.