Superconducting dot/anti-dot flux qubit based on time-reversal symmetry breaking effects
US6504172B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 16, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 16, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10S977/933
- WIPO fieldMicro-structural and nano-technology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A solid-state quantum computing structure includes a dot of superconductive material, where the superconductor possesses a dominant order parameter with a non-zero angular momentum and a sub-dominant order parameter that can have any pairing symmetry. Alternately a solid-state quantum computing structure includes an anti-dot, which is a region in a superconductor where the order parameter is suppressed. In either embodiment of the invention, circulating persistent currents are generated via time-reversal symmetry breaking effects in the boundaries between superconducting and insulating materials. These effects cause the ground state for the supercurrent circulating near the qubit to be doubly degenerate, with two supercurrent ground states having distinct magnetic moments. These quantum states of the supercurrents store quantum information, which creates the basis of qubits for quantum computing. Writing to the qubits and universal single qubit operations may be performed via the application of magnetic fields. Read-out of the information may be performed using a SQUID microscope or a magnetic force microscope.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.