Fermilab Researchers Pinpoint Microscopic Sources of Superconducting Qubit Performance Variance

VERA Brief

AI-generated. Grounded in the article and its cited sources.

Researchers at Fermilab have identified microscopic material defects as the main cause of performance variations in superconducting qubits. The study found correlations between nanoscale fabrication geometries, surface oxides, and energy relaxation times, providing metrics for qubit fabrication processes.

Key facts

• Microscopic material defects are the primary cause of performance variations in superconducting qubits.
• The research correlates nanoscale fabrication geometries and surface oxides with energy relaxation times.
• Single-nanometer shifts in surface oxide thickness can lead to up to a twofold variation in qubit performance.
• Substrate trench depths below 20 nanometers and sidewall etch profiles also affect qubit performance.
• The findings offer verifiable metrics for evaluating superconducting qubit fabrication processes.