TLS characterization using multilevel decay of a fixed-frequency transmon

Abstract

Transmon qubits are a cornerstone of superconducting quantum computing platforms, yet their coherence times often exhibit temporal fluctuations that degrade processor performance. These variations are commonly attributed to shifts in the resonance frequencies of individual two-level systems (TLSs) near the qubit transition. In this study, we monitor the lifetimes of multiple energy levels of a fixed-frequency transmon and examine their temporal correlations. Our measurements reveal that one or more TLSs—detuned by more than 100 MHz from the qubit transition—can still significantly influence coherence. The proposed method provides a powerful tool for TLS spectroscopy without the need to tune the transmon frequency, either via a flux-tunable inductor or AC-Stark shifts.