Electronic devices programming for the implementation of a two-qubit quantum gate
Supervisor: Dr Sergey Danilin
School: Engineering
Description:
In this project, the student will have the opportunity to develop an excellent insight into the fundamentals of superconducting quantum circuits. They will gain knowledge of device programming using python through tasks such as controlling two devices (the arbitrary waveform generator and the microwave signal generator) in a way that generates a special sequence of pulses for the implementation of the iSWAP two-qubit quantum gate. The student will write a code on a computer connected to the devices to control their operation. The voltage signals outgoing from the device’s outputs will be checked with an oscilloscope to validate their correctness in terms of amplitudes, phases, duration, and synchronization. The code will include the possibility to change easily and quickly the parameters of the signals output from the devices to tune them for the implementation of the iSWAP two-qubit gate. This gate couples the quantum bits (qubits) for a specific short time interval when they can exchange the energy and swap their quantum states, hence the name of the gate. At the latest part of the internship, the sequence of pulses generated by the devices programmed by the student will be tested on a real superconducting quantum structure containing two qubits.
The project will be held at the Quantum Circuits Group laboratory based in the Advanced Research Centre of the University of Glasgow. The project is in the field of quantum technologies and will allow the student to immerse themselves in research work in this field. This will not only provide the student with a strong background in quantum technologies but can also be a mechanism for them to experience what is like to pursue a research career. The Quantum Circuits Group laboratory is fully equipped with the microwave electronic devices and cryogenic refrigerators required for experiments with superconducting quantum circuits. The microwave and cryogenic measurements of superconducting quantum circuits containing quantum bits are already going on in the laboratory. The acquisition of the experimental data is automated via the use of computer codes written in python.
The expected research outcomes from this internship should be well in-line with ongoing work within the Quantum Circuits group and should find use in future work. For instance, this two-qubit gate can be used to entangle many qubits pair-by-pair. As quantum entanglement is required for the tasks of quantum computation, the project is an excellent opportunity for a student to develop their programming skills whilst becoming familiar with this rapidly developing field.