Domaines
Condensed matter
Quantum information theory and quantum technologies
Quantum optics
Topological materials, Quantum Transport, Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics
Type of internship
Expérimental Description
Developing efficient and fast single microwave photon detectors holds immense promise in advancing quantum computing, communication and sensing. Historically, the technology used by optical photon detection is based on semiconductor materials whose gap appropriately matches the frequency domain of interest. Transferring this technology to microwave photons fails due to the natural mismatch between semiconducting gap and microwave frequency photons.
We have recently overcome this problem by realizing a quasi-ideal microwave photon to electron converter in which a superconducting tunnel junction acts as a voltage tuneable quantum absorber through the photon-assisted tunneling of quasiparticles. The achieved quantum efficiency approaches unity.
We are now seeking for an enthusiastic student to work on the development of detection techniques to measure the single charge associated to the absorption of a single microwave photon. The goal will be to develop charge detection using superconducting circuits made out of granular aluminum, a disordered superconductor, realized in a nanofabrication clean room by electron beam lithography and metal evaporation. Measurements will then be carried in a new dilution refrigerator with base temperature of 20 mK and high precision electronics. The student will also get involved into numerical simulations of the quantum master equation governing the dynamics of the system.
Contact
Jérôme ESTEVE