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Correlated charge noise and relaxation errors in superconducting qubits

Author

Listed:
  • C. D. Wilen

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • S. Abdullah

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • N. A. Kurinsky

    (Center for Particle Astrophysics
    University of Chicago)

  • C. Stanford

    (Stanford University)

  • L. Cardani

    (INFN Sezione di Roma)

  • G. D’Imperio

    (INFN Sezione di Roma)

  • C. Tomei

    (INFN Sezione di Roma)

  • L. Faoro

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison
    Sorbonne Université, Laboratoire de Physique Théorique et Hautes Energies)

  • L. B. Ioffe

    (Google Inc)

  • C. H. Liu

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • A. Opremcak

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • B. G. Christensen

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

  • J. L. DuBois

    (Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)

  • R. McDermott

    (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Abstract

The central challenge in building a quantum computer is error correction. Unlike classical bits, which are susceptible to only one type of error, quantum bits (qubits) are susceptible to two types of error, corresponding to flips of the qubit state about the X and Z directions. Although the Heisenberg uncertainty principle precludes simultaneous monitoring of X- and Z-flips on a single qubit, it is possible to encode quantum information in large arrays of entangled qubits that enable accurate monitoring of all errors in the system, provided that the error rate is low1. Another crucial requirement is that errors cannot be correlated. Here we characterize a superconducting multiqubit circuit and find that charge noise in the chip is highly correlated on a length scale over 600 micrometres; moreover, discrete charge jumps are accompanied by a strong transient reduction of qubit energy relaxation time across the millimetre-scale chip. The resulting correlated errors are explained in terms of the charging event and phonon-mediated quasiparticle generation associated with absorption of γ-rays and cosmic-ray muons in the qubit substrate. Robust quantum error correction will require the development of mitigation strategies to protect multiqubit arrays from correlated errors due to particle impacts.

Suggested Citation

  • C. D. Wilen & S. Abdullah & N. A. Kurinsky & C. Stanford & L. Cardani & G. D’Imperio & C. Tomei & L. Faoro & L. B. Ioffe & C. H. Liu & A. Opremcak & B. G. Christensen & J. L. DuBois & R. McDermott, 2021. "Correlated charge noise and relaxation errors in superconducting qubits," Nature, Nature, vol. 594(7863), pages 369-373, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:594:y:2021:i:7863:d:10.1038_s41586-021-03557-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03557-5
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. V. Iaia & J. Ku & A. Ballard & C. P. Larson & E. Yelton & C. H. Liu & S. Patel & R. McDermott & B. L. T. Plourde, 2022. "Phonon downconversion to suppress correlated errors in superconducting qubits," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    2. Yu-Xin Wang & Aashish A. Clerk, 2021. "Intrinsic and induced quantum quenches for enhancing qubit-based quantum noise spectroscopy," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-14, December.
    3. M. Lucas & A. V. Danilov & L. V. Levitin & A. Jayaraman & A. J. Casey & L. Faoro & A. Ya. Tzalenchuk & S. E. Kubatkin & J. Saunders & S. E. de Graaf, 2023. "Quantum bath suppression in a superconducting circuit by immersion cooling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.
    4. Xianchuang Pan & Yuxuan Zhou & Haolan Yuan & Lifu Nie & Weiwei Wei & Libo Zhang & Jian Li & Song Liu & Zhi Hao Jiang & Gianluigi Catelani & Ling Hu & Fei Yan & Dapeng Yu, 2022. "Engineering superconducting qubits to reduce quasiparticles and charge noise," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-7, December.
    5. Shingo Kono & Jiahe Pan & Mahdi Chegnizadeh & Xuxin Wang & Amir Youssefi & Marco Scigliuzzo & Tobias J. Kippenberg, 2024. "Mechanically induced correlated errors on superconducting qubits with relaxation times exceeding 0.4 ms," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. J. M. Kitzman & J. R. Lane & C. Undershute & P. M. Harrington & N. R. Beysengulov & C. A. Mikolas & K. W. Murch & J. Pollanen, 2023. "Phononic bath engineering of a superconducting qubit," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-7, December.
    7. Robin Anthony-Petersen & Andreas Biekert & Raymond Bunker & Clarence L. Chang & Yen-Yung Chang & Luke Chaplinsky & Eleanor Fascione & Caleb W. Fink & Maurice Garcia-Sciveres & Richard Germond & Wei Gu, 2024. "A stress-induced source of phonon bursts and quasiparticle poisoning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.

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