Grant: Alliance Grants

The proposed project characterizes low temperature materials properties of Josephson tunnel junctions and dielectrics used for superconductor-based quantum computers. As the devices are run colder, the quantum aspects are accentuated and become dominant. These are used to form quantum qubits and quantum computers. Consequently, the colder the devices run, the better, and thus characterizing devices and materials at low temperature is essential. It has been seen that certain material characteristics in the components can cause quantum decoherence and these may not subside as the temperatures are decreased. Systems have been successfully running at temperatures of 50-100 mK or lower, but cryostats can achieve temperatures of 5-10 mK. The noise and material's characteristics have made running at these lower temperatures less advantageous. With a strong collaboration with D-wave Inc., the Kycia group will characterize the material characteristics of their fabricated devices with an aim to improve the processing conditions and device designs to minimize these deleterious effects. With close feedback between low temperature characterization, and fabrication and design, the device quality can be improved, and higher performance quantum computers can be made.