Towards a Spin-Ensemble Quantum Memory for Superconducting Qubits

This work describes theoretical and experimental advances towards the realization of a hybrid quantum processor in which the collective degrees of freedom of an ensemble of spins in a crystal are used as a multi-qubit register for superconducting qubits. A memory protocol made of write, read and reset operations is first presented, followed by the demonstration of building blocks of its implementation with NV center spins in diamond. Qubit states are written by resonant absorption of a microwave photon in the spin ensemble and read out of the memory on-demand by applying Hahn echo refocusing techniques to the spins. The reset step is implemented in between two successive write-read sequences using optical repumping of the spins.

Nominated as an outstanding Ph.D. thesis by the University Paris VI, France Received Madeleine Lecoq Price 2015, awarded by the French Academy of Science for one of the best Ph.D thesis of the year Provides a comprehensive introduction to spin-based hybrid quantum circuits Includes a detailed description of the theoretical aspects Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Auteur
Cécile Grèzes received the B.S. degree from the Ecole Normale supérieure, Paris, France, in 2009 and her Ph.D. from the University Paris VI in 2014. Her thesis work was performed at the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique on experimental quantum information processing with Josephson superconducting circuits and spins in crystal. Since 2015, she has been working on the development of nonvolatile magnetic memory in the electrical engineering department at the University of California Los Angeles.

Contenu

Introduction.- Superconducting Circuits and Microwave Engineering.- NV Center Spins in Diamond.- Coupling Ensembles of Spins to Superconducting Circuits.- Spin-Based Quantum Memory.- Spin Ensemble Quantum Memory Protocol.- Simulations.- State of the Art & Principle of the Experiment.- Experimental Realization.- Operating the Hybrid Quantum Circuit.- Storage of Qubit States in a NV Spin Ensemble.- Conclusions on Experiment 1: The Write Step.