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Physical Review Research

Hybrid superconducting-ferroelectric quantum memristor

Maria A. Badarne, Emanuele G. Dalla Torre, Yachin Ivry

Published Nov 4, 2025• 3 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The nontrivial integration of qubits with classical computing systems and the lack of quantum-memory devices remain a key obstacle in the development of quantum technologies. Here, we present a theoretical platform for hybrid quantum devices with memory characteristics. In these current-driven hybrid memristors, a ferroelectric layer serves as the tunneling barrier in a superconducting Josephson junction; thus, the potential barrier is history-dependent. A memory-integrated phase qubit and a Lagrangian description of the superconducting circuit are also presented, paving the way to highly functional, self-modulated Josephson-junction technologies.

DOI
10.1103/4746-w9cm

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The nontrivial integration of qubits with classical computing systems and the lack of quantum-memory devices remain a key obstacle in the development of quantum technologies. Here, we present a theoretical platform for hybrid quantum devices with memory characteristics. In these current-driven hybrid memristors, a ferroelectric layer serves as the tunneling barrier in a superconducting Josephson junction; thus, the potential barrier is history-dependent. A memory-integrated phase qubit and a Lagrangian description of the superconducting circuit are also presented, paving the way to highly functional, self-modulated Josephson-junction technologies.
Memristors are resistive elements retaining information of their past dynamics. They have garnered substantial interest due to their potential for representing a paradigm change in electronics, information processing and unconventional computing. Given the advent of quantum technologies, a design for a quantum memristor with superconducting circuits may be envisaged. Along these lines, we introduce such a quantum device whose memristive behavior arises from quasiparticle-induced tunneling when supercurrents are cancelled. For realistic parameters, we find that the relevant hysteretic behavior may be observed using current state-of-the-art measurements of the phase-driven tunneling current. Finally, we develop suitable methods to quantify memory retention in the system.
Josephson junctions drive the operation of superconducting qubits and they are the key for the coupling and the interfacing of superconducting qubit components with other quantum platforms. They are the only means to introduce non linearity in a superconducting circuit and offer direct solutions to tune the properties of a superconducting qubit, thus enlarging the possible qubit layouts. Junctions performances and tunability can take advantage of using a large variety of barriers and their special functionalities. We mention pertinent results on the advances in understanding the properties of ferromagnetic junctions, which makepossible the use of these devices either as memory elements and as core circuit elements.
The quantum behavior of Josephson junctions is often exploited to produce superconducting devices of outstanding performance. With respect to information technology applications, Josephson junctions can be used in circuits that perform logic operations in picoseconds, which may result in energy-efficient, high-performance cryogenic computers, provided that memory elements can be developed that can be switched between two stable states by integrated superconducting logic circuits. Here, we show that Josephson junctions based on pseudo-spin-valve barriers could enable such memory elements, by unambiguously differentiating the controlled changes in Josephson coupling from size-dependent remanent-field effects. These changes can be very large and even reversed in magnitude, which is strong evidence of the exchange-field effect on the Cooper pair phase. These devices are the first that demonstrate nonvolatile, size-independent switching of the Josephson coupling in magnitude or phase, and they may allow for the first scalable superconducting memory devices.
We discuss the capabilities of ferromagnetic (F) Josephson junctions (JJs) in a variety of layouts and configurations. The main goal is to demonstrate the potential of these hybrid JJs to disclose new physics and the possibility to integrate them in superconducting classical and quantum electronics for various applications. The feasible path towards the use of ferromagnetic Josephson junctions in quantum circuits starts from experiments demonstrating macroscopic quantum tunneling in NbN/GdN/NbN junctions with ferro-insulator barriers and with triplet components of the supercurrent, supported by a self-consistent electrodynamic characterization as a function of the barrier thickness. This has inspired further studies on tunnel ferromagnetic junctions with a different layout and promoted the first generation of ferromagnetic Al-based JJs, specifically Al/AlOx/Al/Py/Al. This layout takes advantage of the capability to integrate the ferromagnetic layer in the junction without affecting the quality of the superconducting electrodes and of the tunnel barrier. The high quality of the devices paves the way for the possible implementation of Al tunnel-ferromagnetic JJs in superconducting quantum circuits. These achievements have promoted the notion of a novel type of qubit incorporating ferromagnetic JJs. This qubit is based on a transmon design featuring a tunnel JJ in parallel with a ferromagnetic JJ inside a SQUID loop capacitively coupled to a superconducting readout resonator. The effect of an external RF field on the magnetic switching processes of ferromagnetic JJs has been also investigated.
Technology based on memristors, resistors with memory whose resistance depends on the history of the crossing charges, has lately enhanced the classical paradigm of computation with neuromorphic architectures. However, in contrast to the known quantized models of passive circuit elements, such as inductors, capacitors or resistors, the design and realization of a quantum memristor is still missing. Here, we introduce the concept of a quantum memristor as a quantum dissipative device, whose decoherence mechanism is controlled by a continuous-measurement feedback scheme, which accounts for the memory. Indeed, we provide numerical simulations showing that memory effects actually persist in the quantum regime. Our quantization method, specifically designed for superconducting circuits, may be extended to other quantum platforms, allowing for memristor-type constructions in different quantum technologies. The proposed quantum memristor is then a building block for neuromorphic quantum computation and quantum simulations of non-Markovian systems.
A superconducting qubit (or quantum bit), which consists of a micrometer-sized loop with three Josephson junctions, has two persistent currents of opposite direction as its two states. The states of the qubit can be brought into quantum coherence to perform quantum computing. Classical bits can also be obtained from these superconducting loops, making it possible to base a classical computer architecture. We study a novel computing structure based on these Josephson Persistent Current (PC) Bits, starting from elementary logic gates to a Random Access Memory (RAM). The investigation shows that the Josephson PC Bit technology would not surpass semiconductor technology in term of the device density, while it is a promising candidate for unltra-fast memory, which can be integrated with other technologies. The classical computer might also serve as pre and post processor for the quantum computing performed in the heart of the array. The Josephson PC circuits, therefore, seems a good vehicle for the study of the quantum computer paradigm.