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Cho, Yujin

Publications and source records attributed to Cho, Yujin.

Simulating nonlinear optical processes on a superconducting quantum device

Simulating plasma physics on quantum computers is difficult because most problems of interest are nonlinear, but quantum computers are not naturally suitable for nonlinear operations. In weakly nonlinear regimes, plasma problems can be modelled as wave–wave interactions. In this paper, we develop a quantization approach to convert nonlinear wave–wave interaction problems to Hamiltonian simulation problems. We demonstrate our approach using two qubits on a superconducting device. Unlike a photonic device, a superconducting device does not naturally have the desired interactions in its native Hamiltonian. Nevertheless, Hamiltonian simulations can still be performed by decomposing required unitary operations into native gates. To improve experimental results, we employ a range of error-mitigation techniques. Apart from readout error mitigation, we use randomized compilation to transform undiagnosed coherent errors into well-behaved stochastic Pauli channels. Moreover, to compensate for stochastic noise, we rescale exponentially decaying probability amplitudes using rates measured from cycle benchmarking. We carefully consider how different choices of product-formula algorithms affect the overall error and show how a trade-off can be made to best utilize limited quantum resources. This study provides an example of how plasma problems may be solved on near-term quantum computing platforms.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Direct pulse-level compilation of arbitrary quantum logic gates on superconducting qutrits

Advanced simulations and calculations on quantum computers require high-fidelity implementations of quantum operations. The universal gateset approach builds complex unitaries from a small set of primitive gates, often resulting in a long gate sequence, which is typically a leading factor in the total accumulated error. Compiling a complex unitary for processors with higher-dimensional logical elements, such as qutrits, exacerbates the accumulated error per unitary, since an even longer gate sequence is required. Optimal control methods promise time- and resource-efficient compact gate sequences and, therefore, higher fidelity. These methods generate pulses that can directly implement any complex unitary on a quantum device. In this work, we demonstrate that any arbitrary qubit and qutrit gate can be realized with high fidelity, which can significantly reduce the length of a gate sequence. We generate and test pulses for a large set of randomly selected arbitrary unitaries on several quantum processing units (QPUs): the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Quantum Device and Integration Testbed’s (QuDIT’s) standard QPU and three of Rigetti’s QPUs: Ankaa-2, Ankaa-9Q-1, and Aspen-M-3. On the QuDIT platform’s standard QPU, the average fidelity of random qutrit gates is 97.9 ± 0.5% measured with conventional QPT and 98.8 ± 0.6% from QPT with gate folding. Rigetti’s Ankaa-2 achieves random qubit gates with an average fidelity of 98.4 ± 0.5% (conventional QPT) and 99.7 ± 0.1% (QPT with gate folding). On Ankaa-9Q-1 and Aspen-M-3, the average fidelities with conventional qubit QPT measurements were higher than 99% (see Appendix). Here we show that optimal control gates are robust to drift for at least 3 h and that the same calibration parameters can be used for all implemented gates. Our work promises that the calibration overheads for optimal control gates can be made small enough to enable efficient quantum circuits based on this technique.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Simulating noise on a quantum processor: interactions between a qubit and resonant two-level system bath

Material defects fundamentally limit the coherence times of superconducting qubits, and manufacturing completely defect-free devices is not yet possible. Therefore, understanding the interactions between defects and a qubit in a real quantum processor design is essential. We build a model that incorporates the standard tunneling model, the electric field distributions in the qubit, and open quantum system dynamics, and draws from the current understanding of two-level system (TLS) theory. Specifically, we start with one million TLSs distributed on the surface of a qubit and pick the 200 systems that are most strongly coupled to the qubit. We then perform a full Lindbladian simulation that explicitly includes the coherent coupling between the qubit and the TLS bath to model the time dependent density matrix of resonant TLS defects and the qubit. We find that the 200 most strongly coupled TLSs can accurately describe the qubit energy relaxation time. This work confirms that resonant TLSs located in areas where the electric field is strong can significantly affect the qubit relaxation time, even if they are located far from the Josephson junction (JJ). Similarly, a strongly-coupled resonant TLS located in the JJ does not guarantee a reduced qubit relaxation time if a more strongly coupled TLS is far from the JJ. In addition to the coupling strengths between TLSs and the qubit, the model predicts that the geometry of the device and the TLS relaxation time play a significant role in qubit dynamics. Our work can provide guidance for future quantum processor designs with improved qubit coherence times.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Second-harmonic and linear spectroscopy of $\textit{α}$-In 2 Se 3

We report spectroscopic measurements of optical transmission, ellipsometry, and second-harmonic generation (SHG) from as-grown vapor-deposited $\textit{α}$-In 2 Se 3 nanoflakes ranging in thickness from a single quintuple layer (QL) to bulk material. In this work, we compare these measurements with ab initio calculations of structural and optical properties. Linear optical measurements yield thickness-dependent band gaps and dielectric functions, while SHG diagnoses microscopic film structure and ferroelectric polarization. The rotational anisotropy of SHG for s-polarized incident photons of energy 1.4 eV reveals crystalline symmetry and orientation of individual QLs. Peak SHG intensity increases from one to three QLs, then decreases for larger numbers, tracking thickness-dependent trends in the second-order susceptibility components $χ^{xxx}$ and $χ^{zxx}$. Comparison of measured and calculated SHG spectra for s-polarized photons of energies between 1.2 and 1.7 eV incident upon two QL samples discriminates among candidate stacking arrangements, and favors an arrangement with electric polarization vectors of the two QLs pointing outward in opposite directions.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Phonon modes and Raman signatures of MnBi 2n Te 3n+1 (n=1,2,3,4) magnetic topological heterostructures

An intrinsic antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi 2 Te 4 arises when intercalating a Mn-Te bilayer chain in a topological insulator, Bi 2 Te 3 . We present observations on the inter- and intralayer phonon modes of the generalized MnBi 2n Te 3n+1 (n=1,2,3,4) family using cryogenic low-frequency Raman spectroscopy with various polarization configurations. Two peaks at 66 and 112 cm –1 show abnormal perturbation in Raman linewidths below magnetic transition temperature due to spin-phonon coupling. In MnBi 4 Te 7 , B i2 Te 3 layers induce Davydov splitting of the A1g mode around 137 cm –1 at 5 K. The out-of-plane interlayer force constant estimated using the linear chain model was (3.98±0.14)×10 19 N/m 3 , three times weaker than that of Bi 2 Te 3 . Adding more Bi 2 Te 3 layers, such as MnBi 6 Te 10 and MnBi 8 Te 13 , makes Bi 2 Te 3 properties more dominant than magnetic properties. Our work experimentally and theoretically discovers the dynamics of phonon modes of MnBi 2n Te 3n+ 1 family, facilitating utilization of magnetic topological heterostructures.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

Spin freezing into a disordered state in CaFeT i 2 O 6 synthesized under high pressure

Double perovskites exhibit a variety of interesting phenomena due to numerous combinations of cation orderings and distortions. CaMnTi 2 O 6 and CaFeTi 2 O 6 are the only two discovered double perovskites that have the columnar type A-site ordering associated with the a + a + c – titling system. The former perovskite, synthesized recently, has a polar structure below T c and shows an unusual ferroelectricity. The latter, while synthesized decades ago, received less investigation. Here, we have synthesized CaFeTi 2 O 6 under high pressure and carried out thorough characterizations through measurements of x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), second harmonic generation (SHG), dc and ac magnetization, Mössbauer spectra, resistivity, thermoelectric power, and specific heat. Although the structural refinement of the XRD pattern cannot distinguish two possible tetragonal phases, SHG measurements help to rule out the possibility of a polar structure observed in CaMnTi 2 O 6 . Fitting the paramagnetic susceptibility to a Curie-Weiss law gives a negligible Weiss constant. The weak exchange interaction gives way to a dipole-dipole interaction and single-ion anisotropy. An anomaly at 1.2 K in the specific heat is too broad for a magnetic transition, but suggestive of a spin-ice-like state as in the pyrochlores. Mössbauer spectroscopy shows two distinct iron sites, as expected for the crystal structure. Both sites are occupied by high-spin Fe 2+ as indicated by the isomer shift. The sharply different temperature dependence of the quadrupole splitting at the two iron sites can be well explained based on the local structural distortions from the refinement of XRD patterns. In conclusion, the line broadening associated with long spin-relaxation times is observed at 6 K as the spin freezing transition is approached from high temperatures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

New Mechanism for Ferroelectricity in the Perovskite Ca 2– x Mn x Ti 2 O 6 Synthesized by Spark Plasma Sintering

Perovskite oxides hosting ferroelectricity are particularly important materials for modern technologies. The ferroelectric transition in the well-known oxides BaTiO 3 and PbTiO 3 is realized by softening of a vibration mode in the cubic perovskite structure. For most perovskite oxides, octahedral-site tilting systems are developed to accommodate the bonding mismatch due to a geometric tolerance factor t = (A–O)/[√2(B–O)] < 1. In the absence of cations having lone-pair electrons, e.g., Bi 3+ and Pb 2+ , all simple and complex A-site and B-site ordered perovskite oxides with a t < 1 show a variety of tilting systems, and none of them become ferroelectric. The ferroelectric CaMnTi 2 O 6 oxide is, up to now, the only one that breaks this rule. It exhibits a columnar A-site ordering with a pronounced octahedral-site tilting and yet becomes ferroelectric at T c ≈ 650 K. Most importantly, the ferroelectricity at T < Tc is caused by an order–disorder transition instead of a displacive transition; this character may be useful to overcome the critical thickness problem experienced in all proper ferroelectrics. Application of this new ferroelectric material can greatly simplify the structure of microelectronic devices. However, CaMnTi2O6 is a high-pressure phase obtained at 7 GPa and 1200 °C, which limits its application. Here we report a new method to synthesize a gram-level sample of ferroelectric Ca 2–x Mn x Ti 2 O 6 , having the same crystal structure as CaMnTi 2 O 6 and a similarly high Curie temperature. The new finding paves the way for the mass production of this important ferroelectric oxide. In conclusion, we have used neutron powder diffraction to identify the origin of the peculiar ferroelectric transition in this double perovskite and to reveal the interplay between magnetic ordering and the ferroelectric displacement at low temperatures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗