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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Disentangling the impact of quasiparticles and two-level systems on the statistics of superconducting-qubit lifetime

Temporal fluctuations in the superconducting qubit lifetime, T 1 , present additional challenges in the pursuit of fault-tolerant quantum computing. Although the exact mechanisms remain unclear, T 1 fluctuations are generally attributed to strong coupling between the qubit and a few near-resonant two-level systems (TLSs), which can exchange energy with an ensemble of thermally fluctuating two-level fluctuators (TLFs) at low frequencies. Here, we report T 1 measurements of qubits with varying geometrical footprints and surface dielectrics as a function of temperature. By analyzing the noise spectrum of the qubit depolarization rate, Γ 1 = 1 / T 1 , we disentangle the contributions of TLSs, nonequilibrium quasiparticles (QPs), and equilibrium (thermally excited) QPs to the variance in Γ 1 . We find that the Γ 1 variance in qubits with smaller footprints is more susceptible to QP and TLS fluctuations than that in larger-footprint qubits. Furthermore, the QP-induced variances in all qubits align with the theoretical framework of QP diffusion and fluctuation. These findings offer valuable insights for future qubit design and engineering optimization.

Zhu, Shaojiang [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000293180092)↗
DOE OSTI2021

Elucidating the local atomic and electronic structure of amorphous oxidized superconducting niobium films

Qubits made from superconducting materials are a mature platform for quantum information science application, such as quantum computing. However, material-based losses are now a limiting factor in reaching the coherence times needed for applications. In particular, knowledge of the atomistic structure and properties of the circuit materials is needed to identify, understand, and mitigate material-based decoherence channels. Here, we characterize the atomic structure of the native oxide film formed on Nb resonators by comparing fluctuation electron microscopy experiments to density functional theory calculations, finding that an amorphous layer is consistent with an Nb 2 O 5 stoichiometry. Comparing x-ray absorption measurements at the Oxygen K edge with first-principles calculations, we find evidence of d-type magnetic impurities in our sample, known to cause impedance in proximal superconductors. This work identifies the structural and chemical composition of the oxide layer grown on Nb superconductors and shows that soft x-ray absorption can fingerprint magnetic impurities in these superconducting systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Anharmonic phonon dispersion in polyethylene

The second-order Green's function method for anharmonic crystals has been applied to an infinite, periodic chain of polyethylene taking into account up to quartic force constants. The frequency-independent approximation to the Dyson self-energy gives rise to numerous divergent resonances, which are fortuitous. Instead, solving the Dyson equation self-consistently with a frequency-dependent self-energy resists divergences from resonances or zero-frequency acoustic vibrations. Here, the calculated anharmonic phonon dispersion, which nonetheless displays many true resonances, and anharmonic phonon density of states furnish hitherto unknown details that explain smaller features of observed vibrational spectra.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Quantum spin nematic phase in a square-lattice iridate

Spin nematic is a magnetic analogue of classical liquid crystals, a fourth state of matter exhibiting characteristics of both liquid and solid. Particularly intriguing is a valence-bond spin nematic, in which spins are quantum entangled to form a multipolar order without breaking time-reversal symmetry, but its unambiguous experimental realization remains elusive. Here, in this study, we establish a spin nematic phase in the square-lattice iridate Sr 2 IrO 4 , which approximately realizes a pseudospin one-half Heisenberg antiferromagnet in the strong spin-orbit coupling limit. Upon cooling, the transition into the spin nematic phase at T C approximate to 263 K is marked by a divergence in the static spin quadrupole susceptibility extracted from our Raman spectra and concomitant emergence of a collective mode associated with the spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetries. The quadrupolar order persists in the antiferromagnetic phase below TN approximate to 230 K and becomes directly observable through its interference with the antiferromagnetic order in resonant X-ray diffraction, which allows us to uniquely determine its spatial structure. Further, we find using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering a complete breakdown of coherent magnon excitations at short-wavelength scales, suggesting a many-body quantum entanglement in the antiferromagnetic state. Taken together, our results reveal a quantum order underlying the Neel antiferromagnet that is widely believed to be intimately connected to the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity. We establish a spin nematic phase in the square-lattice iridate Sr 2 IrO 4 and find a complete breakdown of coherent magnon excitations at short-wavelength scales, suggesting a many-body quantum entanglement in the antiferromagnetic state.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effects of Anisotropic Strain on Spin–Orbit Torque Produced by the Dirac Nodal Line Semimetal IrO 2

We report spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance studies of the efficiency of the damping-like (ξ DL ) spin–orbit torque exerted on an adjacent ferromagnet film by current flowing in epitaxial (001) and (110) IrO 2 thin films. IrO 2 possesses Dirac nodal lines (DNLs) in the band structure that are gapped by spin–orbit coupling, which could enable a very high spin Hall conductivity, σ SH . We find that the (001) films do exhibit exceptionally high ξ DL ranging from 0.45 at 293 K to 0.65 at 30 K, which sets the lower bounds of σ SH to be 1.9 × 10 5 and 3.75 × 10 5 Ω –1 m –1 , respectively, 10 times higher and of opposite sign than the theoretical prediction. Furthermore, ξ DL and σ SH are substantially reduced in anisotropically strained (110) films. Here, we suggest that this high sensitivity to anisotropic strain is because of changes in contributions to σ SH near the DNLs.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2020

Emergent behavior of LaNiO 3 in short-periodic nickelate superlattices

Heterostructure engineering provides an efficient way to obtain several emergent phases of LaNiO 3 , as demonstrated in recent works. In this work, a new class of short periodic superlattices, consisting of LaNiO 3 and EuNiO 3 have been grown by pulsed laser interval deposition to investigate the effect of structural symmetry mismatch on the electronic and magnetic behaviors. Using synchrotron based soft and hard x-ray resonant scattering experiments, we have found that these heterostructures undergo simultaneous electronic and magnetic transitions. Most importantly, LaNiO 3 within these artificial structures exhibits a new antiferromagnetic, charge ordered insulating phase, which may be a potential candidate to achieve high temperature superconductivity.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ta Based Damascene Resonators

Transmon qubits have become a leading technology in quantum information science (QIS), with fabrication techniques widely accessible. Historically, devices were predominantly made from aluminum (Al) and niobium (Nb), but state-of-the-art transmons now use tantalum (Ta) achieving coherence times up to and exceeding 0.5 milliseconds [1-3]. The differentiation in performance between Ta and Nb-based devices is attributed to the surface oxidation states affecting Two-Level-System (TLS) noise. One approach to quickly evaluating material and device performance consists of fabricating only the readout resonator of a qubit and evaluating the quality factor which is the strategy employed in this project. Our research focuses on Ta coplanar waveguide (CPW) resonators fabricated using a damascene technique producing pristine metal structures within silicon substrates. This approach increases the dielectric substrate's participation ratio while keeping device edges oxide-free due to entrenchment. This collaborative effort, involving Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), NY CREATES/SUNY Poly, and Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), has resulted in resonators with Q factors as high as 104 at low power. Ongoing studies aim to further understand and improve device performance by systematic analysis of oxygen trapped between device layers during processing. This research showcases the potential for significant improvements in superconducting qubit performance via the damascene process, heralding new possibilities for the advancement of scalable QIS technology.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Two-Level System Spectroscopy from Correlated Multilevel Relaxation in Superconducting Qubits

Transmon qubits are a cornerstone of modern superconducting quantum computing platforms. Temporal fluctuations of energy relaxation in these qubits are widely attributed to microscopic two-level systems (TLSs) in device dielectrics and interfaces, yet isolating individual defects typically relies on tuning the qubit or the TLS into resonance. We demonstrate a novel spectroscopy method for fixed-frequency transmons based on multilevel relaxation: repeated preparation of the second excited state and simultaneous $T_1$ extraction of the first and second excited states reveals characteristic correlations in the decay rates of adjacent transitions. From these correlations we identify one or more dominant TLSs and reconstruct their frequency drift over time. Remarkably, we find that TLSs detuned by $\gtrsim 100\,\mathrm{MHz}$ from the qubit transition can still significantly influence relaxation. 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.

Roy, Tanay [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000019442862X)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Compact cryomodule for mobile stand-alone superconducting industrial accelerators

Superconducting RF (SRF) accelerators have the potential to be more profitable in comparison with normally conducting accelerators, as long they can be made compact, achieve operational simplicity, autonomy, trans- portability, satisfactory energy efficiency, as well as have reasonable costs. The development of SRF technologies such as Nb 3 Sn coating, conductively-cooled resonators, and high-capacity liquid-helium-free cryocoolers made SRF accelerators mobile and energetically and economically efficient at a beam power of tens of kW. One of the key elements of such an accelerator is the cryomodule, which must have minimal thermal losses to enable operation from low power cryoheads and enable conductive cooling of SRF resonator. In this research we present the design and test results of a compact cryomodule for an industrial stand-alone SRF linear accelerator proto- type, based on 650 MHz elliptical resonators, being developed at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Quasiparticle conductance in spin valve Josephson structures

We study the quasiparticle current in clean ferromagnetic Josephson structures of the form $S_1/F_1/N/F_2/S_2$, where $\textit{S, F,}$ and $\textit{N}$ denote superconducting, ferromagnetic, or normal layers, respectively. Our focus is on the structure of the conductance $\textit{G}$ as a function of bias $\textit{V$, emphasizing the subgap region. We use a fully self-consistent numerical method, coupled to a transfer matrix procedure to extract $\textit{G(V)}$. We choose material parameters appropriate to experimentally realized Co Cu Nb structures. In this work, we find a resonance peak structure as a function of the intermediate layer thickness and of the misalignment angle $\phi$ between $\textit{F}$ layers. To understand this resonance structure, we develop an approximate analytic method. For experimentally relevant thicknesses, the conductance has multiple subgap peaks, which oscillate in position between low and critical bias positions. These oscillations occur in both $\phi$ and the layer thicknesses. We compare our results with those obtained for the spin valve structures ($F_1/N/F_2/S_2$) and discuss the implications of our results for the fabrication of spin Josephson devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Growth and structure of alpha-Ta films for quantum circuit integration

Tantalum films incorporated into superconducting circuits have exhibited low surface losses, resulting in long-lived qubit states. The remaining loss pathways originate in microscopic defects that manifest as two level systems (TLSs) at low temperatures. These defects limit performance, so careful attention to tantalum film structures is critical for optimal use in quantum devices. In this work, we investigate the growth of tantalum using magnetron sputtering on sapphire, Si, and photoresist substrates. In the case of sapphire, we present procedures for the growth of fully-oriented films with α-Ta [1 1 1]//Al2O3 [0 0 0 1] and α-Ta [1 −1 0]//Al2O3 [1 0 −1 0] orientational relationships and having residual resistivity ratio (RRR) ∼ 60 for 220 nm thick films. On Si, we find a complex grain texturing with Ta [1 1 0] normal to the substrate and RRR ∼ 30. We further demonstrate airbridge fabrication using Nb to nucleate α-Ta on photoresist surfaces. For the films on sapphire, resonators show TLS-limited quality factors of 1.3 ± 0.3 × 106 at 10 mK (for a waveguide gap and conductor width of 3 and 6 μm, respectively). Structural characterization using scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, low temperature transport, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy reveal the dependence of residual impurities and screw dislocation density on processing conditions. The results provide practical insights into the fabrication of advanced superconducting devices including qubit arrays and guide future works on crystallographically deterministic qubit fabrication.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Attosecond intra-valence band dynamics and resonant-photoemission delays in W(110)

Time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy with attosecond precision provides new insights into the photoelectric effect and gives information about the timing of photoemission from different electronic states within the electronic band structure of solids. Electron transport, scattering phenomena and electron-electron correlation effects can be observed on attosecond time scales by timing photoemission from valence band states against that from core states. However, accessing intraband effects was so far particularly challenging due to the simultaneous requirements on energy, momentum and time resolution. Here we report on an experiment utilizing intracavity generated attosecond pulse trains to meet these demands at high flux and high photon energies to measure intraband delays between sp- and d- band states in the valence band photoemission from tungsten and investigate final-state effects in resonant photoemission.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Kohn anomaly and elastic softening in body-centered cubic molybdenum at high pressure

Transition metals in body-centered cubic (bcc) structures under compression can display several novel physical properties because of their complex electronic structures and electron-phonon interactions. Here, we used inelastic x-ray scattering experiments in a diamond-anvil cell up to ∼45 GPa and density-functional theory calculations up to 210 GPa to investigate the phonon dispersions, and electronic and elastic properties of single-crystal molybdenum (Mo). Our results show a pressure-induced Kohn anomaly at 𝑞∼0.5 along the [ξ00] direction in the longitudinal acoustic mode at ∼45 GPa; this anomaly is triggered by the pressure-enhanced Fermi-surface nesting effect. Theoretical calculations show that electron redistributions in the 𝑠-to-𝑑 orbitals of bcc-Mo contribute to the shear modulus anomaly at ∼50 GPa. In contrast, the Young's modulus anomaly in bcc-Mo at ∼210 GPa results from a Lifshitz-type electronic topological transition. In conclusion, our results shed light on the complex electronic behaviors that are associated with macroscopic elastic properties in typical bcc 𝑑-block transition metals under compression.

3-dimensional systems↗
DOE OSTI2022

MULTI-TECHNIQUE CHARACTERIZATION OF SUPERCONDUCTING MATERIALS FOR PARTICLE ACCELERATOR APPLICATIONS

We investigated the performance limitations of superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities and materials using multiple experimental techniques. In particular, this study focuses on understanding the surface properties of nitrogen-doped Nb cavities and super?conducting thin films with higher Tc such as Nb3Sn. The main goal of this work is to use different techniques to better understand each aspect of the complex loss mechanism in superconductors to further improve the already highly efficient SRF cavities. Nitrogen doping applied to a Nb SRF cavity significantly improves the quality factor Q0 compared to a conventional Nb cavity, at an expense of reduced maximum accelerating gradient. The early quench mechanism was analyzed by using temperature maps before and during the quenching. The temperature maps revealed insignificant heating before the quench, and we concluded that nitrogen doping reduces critical magnetic fields in local regions, leading to premature quenching. To understand the origin of the increasing Q0 with the rf field, the density of states (DOS) of cold spots from nitrogen-doped and standard cavities were measured and analyzed using scanning tunneling microscopy. The results suggested that nitrogen doping reduces the spatial inhomogeneity of superconducting properties and shrinks the metallic suboxide layers, which tunes the DOS in such a way as to produce the field-induced reduction in the surface resistance. To characterize SRF thin films, an experimental setup for measuring a coplanar waveguide (CPW) resonator was developed and tested. A surface impedance measurement of the Nb film showed good agreement with the BCS calculation. The preliminary results from measurements of Nb3Sn and NbTiN films are also presented here. The nonlinear Meissner effect was investigated in Nb3Sn film CPW resonators by mea?suring the resonant frequency as a function of a parallel magnetic field. Contrary to a conventional quadratic dependence of the penetration depth ?(B) on the applied magnetic field B, as expected in s-wave superconductors, nearly a linear increase of ?(B) with B was observed. It was concluded that this behavior of ?(B) is due to weakly linked grain bound?aries on the polycrystalline Nb3Sn films, which can mimic the NLME expected in a clean d-wave superconductor.

Makita, Junki↗
DOE OSTI2022

Generic character of charge and spin density waves in superconducting cuprates

Charge density waves (CDWs) have been observed in nearly all families of copper-oxide superconductors. But the behavior of these phases across different families has been perplexing. In La-based cuprates, the CDW wavevector is an increasing function of doping, exhibiting the so-called Yamada behavior, while in Y- and Bi-based materials the behavior is the opposite. Here, we report a combined resonant soft X-ray scattering (RSXS) and neutron scattering study of charge and spin density waves in isotopically enriched La 1.8–x Eu 0.2 Sr x CuO 4 over a range of doping 0.07 ≤ x ≤ 0.20. In this work, we find that the CDW amplitude is temperature independent and develops well above experimentally accessible temperatures. Further, the CDW wavevector shows a nonmonotonic temperature dependence, exhibiting Yamada behavior at low temperature with a sudden change occurring near the spin ordering temperature. We describe these observations using a Landau–Ginzburg theory for an incommensurate CDW in a metallic system with a finite charge compressibility and spin-CDW coupling. Extrapolating to high temperature, where the CDW amplitude is small and spin order is absent, our analysis predicts a decreasing wavevector with doping, similar to Y and Bi cuprates. Our study suggests that CDW order in all families of cuprates forms by a common mechanism.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Spin-carrier coupling induced ferromagnetism and giant resistivity peak in EuCd 2 P 2

EuCd 2 P 2 is notable for its unconventional transport: upon cooling the metallic resistivity changes slope and begins to increase, ultimately 100-fold, before returning to its metallic value. Surprisingly, this giant peak occurs at 18 K, well above the Néel temperature (T N ) of 11.5 K. Here, using a suite of sensitive probes of magnetism, including resonant x-ray scattering and magneto-optical polarimetry, we have discovered that ferromagnetic order onsets above T N in the temperature range of the resistivity peak. The observation of inverted hysteresis in this regime shows that ferromagnetism is promoted by coupling of localized spins and itinerant carriers. The resulting carrier localization is confirmed by optical conductivity measurements.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2022

Stabilization of three-dimensional charge order through interplanar orbital hybridization in Pr x Y 1–x Ba 2 Cu 3 O 6+δ

The shape of 3d-orbitals often governs the electronic and magnetic properties of correlated transition metal oxides. In the superconducting cuprates, the planar confinement of the d x 2 –y 2 orbital dictates the two-dimensional nature of the unconventional superconductivity and a competing charge order. Achieving orbital-specific control of the electronic structure to allow coupling pathways across adjacent planes would enable direct assessment of the role of dimensionality in the intertwined orders. Using Cu L 3 and Pr M 5 resonant x-ray scattering and first-principles calculations, we report a highly correlated three-dimensional charge order in Pr-substituted YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 , where the Pr f-electrons create a direct orbital bridge between CuO 2 planes. With this we demonstrate that interplanar orbital engineering can be used to surgically control electronic phases in correlated oxides and other layered materials.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗