Critical slowing down in circuit quantum electrodynamics
Journal article, 2021
Critical slowing down of the time it takes a system to reach equilibrium is a key signature of bistability in dissipative first-order phase transitions. Understanding and characterizing this process can shed light on the underlying many-body dynamics that occur close to such a transition. Here, we explore the rich quantum activation dynamics and the appearance of critical slowing down in an engineered superconducting quantum circuit. Specifically, we investigate the intermediate bistable regime of the generalized Jaynes-Cummings Hamiltonian (GJC), realized by a circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) system consisting of a transmon qubit coupled to a microwave cavity. We find a previously unidentified regime of quantum activation in which the critical slowing down reaches saturation and, by comparing our experimental results with a range of models, we shed light on the fundamental role played by the qubit in this regime.
Author
Paul Brookes
University College London (UCL)
Giovanna Tancredi
University of Oxford
Chalmers, Microtechnology and Nanoscience (MC2), Quantum Technology
Andrew D. Patterson
University of Oxford
Joseph Rahamim
University of Oxford
Martina Esposito
University of Oxford
Themistoklis K. Mavrogordatos
Stockholm University
Peter J. Leek
University of Oxford
E. Ginossar
University of Surrey
Marzena H. Szymanska
University College London (UCL)
Science advances
2375-2548 (eISSN)
Vol. 7 21 eabe9492Subject Categories
Atom and Molecular Physics and Optics
Other Physics Topics
Condensed Matter Physics
DOI
10.1126/sciadv.abe9492
Related datasets
Critical slowing down in circuit quantum electrodynamics [dataset]
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4646691