Abstract In this perspective article, we review the current state of research on integrating quantum materials (QMs) into superconducting quantum devices. We begin with the role of QMs as weak links in Josephson junctions, enabling gate- and flux-tunable transmons. We then explore their application in more complex superconducting circuits, such as gate-tunable fluxonium qubits, or gatemonium, which provide additional control over qubit parameters. We also discuss QM-based vertical junctions and their potential for creating merged-element transmons. Further, we highlight QMs’ role in topological superconducting circuits, where they facilitate the study of Majorana zero modes through signatures such as 4π-periodic supercurrents. Additionally, we review the integration of QMs into 3D cavity architectures and discuss how they differ from their 2D counterparts. Beyond weak links, we examine the use of 2D superconducting and insulating materials, such as NbSe2 and hBN, in parallel-plate capacitors, offering a compact alternative to conventional large-footprint transmon capacitors. Finally, we outline the current challenges and future directions for exploration.
Abstract In this perspective article, we review the current state of research on integrating quantum materials (QMs) into superconducting quantum devices. We begin with the role of QMs as weak links in Josephson junctions, enabling gate- and flux-tunable transmons. We then explore their application in more complex superconducting circuits, such as gate-tunable fluxonium qubits, or gatemonium, which provide additional control over qubit parameters. We also discuss QM-based vertical junctions and their potential for creating merged-element transmons. Further, we highlight QMs’ role in topological superconducting circuits, where they facilitate the study of Majorana zero modes through signatures such as 4π-periodic supercurrents. Additionally, we review the integration of QMs into 3D cavity architectures and discuss how they differ from their 2D counterparts. Beyond weak links, we examine the use of 2D superconducting and insulating materials, such as NbSe2 and hBN, in parallel-plate capacitors, offering a compact alternative to conventional large-footprint transmon capacitors. Finally, we outline the current challenges and future directions for exploration.
Hybrid semiconductor-superconductor qubits have recently emerged as a promising alternative to traditional platforms, combining material advantages with device-level tunability. A defining feature is their gate-tunable Josephson coupling, enabling superconducting qubit architectures with full electric-field control and offering a path toward scalable, low-crosstalk quantum processors. This approach seeks to merge benefits of superconducting and semiconductor qubits, for instance by encoding quantum information in the spin of a quasiparticle occupying an Andreev bound state, thus combining long coherence times with fast, flexible control. Progress has accelerated through bottom-up engineering of Andreev states in coupled quantum dot arrays, leading to architectures such as minimal Kitaev chains hosting Majorana zero modes. In parallel, Hamiltonian-protected designs aim to enhance resilience against local noise and decoherence by exploiting superconducting phase dynamics and discrete charge or flux degrees of freedom. This article reviews recent theoretical and experimental advances in hybrid qubits, providing an overview of physical mechanisms, device implementations, and emerging architectures, with emphasis on their potential for (topologically) protected quantum information processing. While many designs remain at proof-of-concept stage, rapid progress suggests practical demonstrations may soon be achievable.
Quantum computing based on superconducting qubits requires the understanding and control of the materials, device architecture, and operation. However, the materials for the central circuit element, the Josephson junction, have mostly been focused on using the AlO x tunnel barrier. Here, we demonstrate Josephson junctions and superconducting qubits employing two-dimensional materials as the tunnel barrier. We batch-fabricate and design the critical Josephson current of these devices via layer-by-layer stacking N layers of MoS 2 on the large scale. Based on such junctions, MoS 2 transmon qubits are engineered and characterized in a bulk superconducting microwave resonator for the first time. Our work allows Josephson junctions to access the diverse material properties of two-dimensional materials that include a wide range of electrical and magnetic properties, which can be used to study the effects of different material properties in superconducting qubits and to engineer novel quantum circuit elements in the future.
This chapter explores the evolution of superconducting qubits from traditional superconductors, tracing the scientific and technological milestones that have led to their central role in quantum computing. Beginning with an overview of superconductivity, the Josephson effect, qubits, and their types, the chapter highlights superconducting qubits with their theoretical implementation. It then transitions to the development of modern qubit architectures – charge, flux, and transmon qubits – emphasizing advances in material purity, fabrication, and coherence enhancement. Special focus is given to a short description of fabricating granular aluminum qubits for quantum engineering applications. The chapter concludes with current challenges, including decoherence mitigation, material scalability, and integration with hybrid quantum systems. This work aims to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the journey from conventional superconductors to quantum information devices.
Integrating two-dimensional (2D) materials into circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) devices is an emerging field in recent years. This integration not only facilitates the exploration of potential applications in quantum information processing but also enables the study of material's fundamental properties using microwave techniques. While most studies employ 2D coplanar architectures with scalability potential, three-dimensional (3D) cavity-based cQED devices, due to their simpler design, offer the advantage of a quicker turnaround to probe the composite Josephson junctions (JJs). Here, we construct the first flux-tunable, 3D cavity-compatible superconducting quantum circuit based on 2D materials, featuring a graphene superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) shunted by a capacitor that is accessible by both dc and microwave probes. We have shown how flux-modulated cavity frequency can be linked to the SQUID critical current under the influence of Fraunhofer's pattern. In addition, we extracted the symmetry information of the SQUIDs based on dc analysis, and correlated this with the flux-modulated cavity frequency observed in microwave measurements. Our platform can extend to topological materials, holding the prospect of establishing valid topological JJs with a dc probe while allowing a fast microwave probe to avoid quasiparticle poisoning.
This thesis explores novel strategies for advancing superconducting quantum computing through a series of experimental investigations and device innovations. Grounded in the development of circuit quantum electrodynamics, the work addresses the challenges posed by the limitations of coherent control, coherence time and scaling of superconducting qubits. Focusing on transmon qubits, the thesis first reviews the foundational principles of circuit quantum electrodynamics and the critical role of the transmon in achieving robust qubit performance. Three experimental studies form the core of this work. The first study demonstrates a universal quantum gate set for strongly coupled transmons. By exploiting the residual ZZ interaction, the work introduces a novel two-axis gate protocol for single-qubit operations and implements both CZ and CNOT gates with high fidelities, highlighting the potential for fast, low-error quantum operations in the strong coupling regime. The second study investigates a dual-rail qubit architecture using parametrically coupled transmons, showcasing a hardware-efficient approach to quantum error correction. This experiment converts single-photon loss errors into detectable erasures and leverages mid-circuit detection to enhance qubit coherence, thereby advancing fault-tolerant quantum computing schemes in the NISQ era. The final study focuses on the development of merged-element transmons (MET) and their FinMET variants. By integrating the Josephson junction and shunt capacitor into a single trilayer device, these innovations achieve a dramatic reduction in device footprint while addressing loss channels through advanced materials engineering, ultimately paving the way for scalable, high-coherence quantum circuits. Collectively, these contributions demonstrate significant progress in quantum gate design, error mitigation, and qubit architecture, offering promising routes toward the realization of largescale, fault-tolerant quantum computers
Superconducting qubits, realized by incorporating Josephson junctions into superconducting circuits, behave as artificial atoms with anharmonic energy spectra and can be precisely controlled and measured using microwave cavities within the framework of circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED). Since its emergence in the early 2000s, cQED has established superconducting qubits as leading candidates for scalable quantum devices and has enabled the exploration of hybrid quantum systems that integrate disparate physical platformsThis review surveys superconducting hybrid quantum electromechanical systems in which mechanical resonators are coupled to superconducting qubits, with a focus on two widely used qubit platforms: the transmon and the fluxonium. We provide an overview of the underlying coupling mechanisms arising from interactions through the phase and charge degrees of freedom of the qubit, and discuss how these mechanisms give rise to both longitudinal and transverse qubit-mechanical interactions. We further review extensions of electromechanical platforms to electro-optomechanical architectures, in which optical cavities are integrated to enable coherent interfacing between superconducting circuits and optical photons. This review aims to present a unified framework and perspective on qubit-mechanical and qubit-mechanical-optical hybrid systems in superconducting quantum technologies and applications related to sensors.