Damped Cavity Qubit Reset for Leakage Removal

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Higher levels of quantum bits become populated during algorithmic operations, leading to significant occupation of levels outside the computational subspace, which hampers quantum computation and error correction due to slow decay and inaccurate readout.

Innovation Solution

A system using a damped cavity for qubit reset, where the frequency controller aligns or sweeps qubit transition frequencies with the cavity frequency to transfer population to the cavity, enabling efficient removal of higher level occupations without prior knowledge of qubit states.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If higher levels of quantum bits are populated during algorithmic operations, then quantum computation can proceed, but occupation of levels outside the computational subspace increases leading to slow decay and inaccurate readout

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequantum computation efficiencyVSAvoidreadout accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a damped cavity as an intermediary system between the qubit and the environment. This cavity mediates the decay process by providing a controlled pathway for energy dissipation. The cavity is designed with specific damping characteristics that allow it to selectively interact with higher qubit levels, facilitating their decay without affecting the computational subspace. This intermediary approach solves the contradiction by enabling reliable readout while maintaining computational efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs parameter changes in the qubit-cavity coupling strength and cavity damping rate to control the decay process. By dynamically adjusting these parameters, the system can enhance the decay rate of higher levels when needed while maintaining stable operation during computation. The coupling strength and damping rate are tuned to optimize both computational efficiency and readout accuracy, resolving the technical contradiction through parameter optimization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If a separate cavity is inserted to perform removal of leakage, then leakage removal capability is improved, but hardware complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleakage removal capabilityVSAvoidhardware components
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the readout resonator serve dual functions: it acts as both the readout mechanism for the qubit and as the damped cavity for leakage removal. By designing the readout resonator with appropriate damping characteristics and coupling strengths, it can simultaneously perform measurement and facilitate decay of higher levels. This multi-functionality approach eliminates the need for a separate cavity, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining effective leakage removal capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Speed

If damped cavity is used for qubit reset, then leakage removal speed is improved, but qubit-cavity coupling strength requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleakage removal speedVSAvoidqubit-cavity coupling strength
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the qubit-cavity coupling strength and cavity damping rate as可调 parameters to achieve the desired leakage removal speed. By carefully selecting these parameters, the system achieves fast decay of higher levels without requiring excessively strong coupling. The coupling strength is tuned to match the cavity damping rate, creating an optimal balance between interaction strength and energy dissipation rate, which enables fast leakage removal while maintaining practical coupling requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively reduces the occupation of higher level leaked states, improving computational efficiency and performance by optimizing the duration, frequency, and shape of qubit trajectories for rapid leakage removal.

Implementation Method 1

Document M. Reed et al. 'Fast reset and suppressing spontaneous emission of a superconducting qubit' discloses that spontaneous emission through a coupled cavity can be a significant decay channel for qubits in circuit quantum electrodynamics. They present a circuit design that effectively eliminates spontaneous emission due to the Purcell effect

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPurcell effect:

Data Source

PatentEP3369047B1Removing leakage in a quantum bit
Publication Date: 2024.08.28 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3369047B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3369047B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3369047B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Apparatus and methods for removing leakage from a qubit. In one aspect, an apparatus includes one or more qubits, wherein each qubit facilitates occupation of at least one of a plurality of qubit levels, the qubit levels including two computational levels and one or more non-computational levels that are each higher than the computational levels, wherein the qubit facilitates transitions between qubit levels associated with a corresponding transition frequency; a cavity, wherein the cavity defines a cavity frequency; one or more couplers coupling each qubit to the cavity; one or more couplers coupling the cavity to an environment external to the one or more qubits and the cavity; a frequency controller that controls the frequency of each qubit such that, for each qubit, the frequency of the qubit is adjusted relative to the cavity frequency such that a population of a non-computational level is transferred to the cavity.