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At least 55 records · Page 3
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Temporally decoherent and spatially coherent vibrations in metal halide perovskites

The long carrier lifetime and defect tolerance in metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are major contributors to the superb performance of MHP optoelectronic devices. Large polarons were reported to be responsible for the long carrier lifetime. Yet microscopic mechanisms of the large polaron formation, including the so-called phonon melting, are still under debate. In this study, time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering experiments and first-principles density-functional theory calculations were employed to investigate the lattice vibrations (or phonon dynamics) in methylammonium lead iodide, a prototypical example of MHPs. Our findings are that optical phonons lose temporal coherence gradually with increasing temperature which vanishes at the orthorhombic-to-tetragonal structural phase transition. Surprisingly, however, we found that the spatial coherence is still retained throughout the decoherence process. We argue that the temporally decoherent and spatially coherent vibrations contribute to the formation of large polarons in this metal halide perovskite.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Classical field approximation of ultralight dark matter: Quantum break times, corrections, and decoherence

The classical field approximation is widely used to better understand the predictions of ultralight dark matter. Here, in this work, we use the truncated Wigner approximation method to test the classical field approximation of ultralight dark matter. This method approximates a quantum state as an ensemble of independently evolving realizations drawn from its Wigner function. The method is highly parallelizable and allows the direct simulation of quantum corrections and decoherence times in systems many times larger than have been previously studied in reference to ultralight dark matter. Our study involves simulation of systems in 1, 2, and 3 spatial dimensions. We simulate three systems, the condensation of a Gaussian random field in three spatial dimensions, a stable collapsed object in three spatial dimensions, and the merging of two stable objects in two spatial dimensions. We study the quantum corrections to the classical field theory in each case. We find that quantum corrections grow exponentially during nonlinear growth with the timescale being approximately equal to the system dynamical time. In stable systems the corrections grow quadratically. We also find that the primary effect of quantum corrections is to reduce the amplitude of fluctuations on the de Broglie scale in the spatial density. Finally, we find that the timescale associated with decoherence due to gravitational coupling to baryonic matter is at least as fast as the quantum corrections due to gravitational interactions. These results are consistent with the predictions of the classical field theory being accurate.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Material and Interface Engineering Strategies to Mitigate Decoherence in Superconducting Qubits

While significant strides have been made to increase the coherence time of superconducting qubits, further advancements are essential for realizing scalable quantum computing. Decoherence is often a result of loss and noise stemming from two-level systems and excess quasiparticles, arising due to material defects, fabrication processes, and ambient exposure, particularly at surfaces and interfaces. Our recent efforts to mitigate these decoherence mechanisms have employed a variety of strategies, including low-loss surface encapsulation materials, advanced substrate preparation techniques, modifications to metal film growth, and the development of novel fabrication processes. The structural and chemical properties of materials, surfaces, and interfaces are studied using scanning probe microscopy, electron microscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction, which is correlated to device performance metrics, including superconducting resonator internal quality factor and qubit T1 time. This information is used to identify and understand material sources of loss and their origins in the device fabrication process. Through multi-institution efforts within SQMS we have identified the loss mechanism of interstitial hydrogen in niobium-based devices and shown how standard fabrication processes introduce these hydrides, developing strategies to mitigate their formation.1 Furthermore, we have characterized the metal-substrate interface, including the loss of niobium-silicides formed at that interface, and developed silicon surface treatments that reduce atomic scale roughness and oxygen content at the metal-substrate and Josephson junction interfaces.2-4 By developing the connection between materials properties and the overall performance of superconducting quantum circuitry, we can develop fabrication strategies to mitigate material losses, thus supporting the ongoing efforts to enhance coherence time in superconducting quantum devices. 1. Torres-Castanedo, C. G.*, Goronzy, D. P.*, et al., Adv. Funct. Mater., 2401365 (2024) 2. Lu, X., et al., Phys. Rev. Materials 6, 064402 (2022) 3. Berti, G., Appl. Phys. Lett. 122, 192605 (2023) 4. Kopas, C. J., Goronzy, D. P., et al., arXiv:2408.02863 (2024)

Goronzy, Dominic P.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Decoherence and Exponential Law: A Solvable Model

We analyze a modified version of the 'AgBr' Hamiltonian, solve exactly the equations of motion in terms of SU(2) coherent states, and study the weak-coupling, macroscopic limit of the model, obtaining an exponential behavior at all times. The asymptotic dominance of the exponential behavior is representative of a purely stochastic evolution and can be derived quantum mechanically in the so-called van Hove's limit (which is a weak-coupling, macroscopic limit). At the same time, a temporal behavior of the exponential type, yielding a 'probability dissipation' is closely related to dephasing ('decoherence') effects and one can expect a close connection with a dissipative and irreversible behavior. We stress the central relevance of the problem of dissipation to the quantum measurement theory and to the general topic of decoherence.

Pascazio, Saverio↗
NASA NTRS2008

Scheme for Quantum Computing Immune to Decoherence

A constructive scheme has been devised to enable mapping of any quantum computation into a spintronic circuit in which the computation is encoded in a basis that is, in principle, immune to quantum decoherence. The scheme is implemented by an algorithm that utilizes multiple physical spins to encode each logical bit in such a way that collective errors affecting all the physical spins do not disturb the logical bit. The scheme is expected to be of use to experimenters working on spintronic implementations of quantum logic. Spintronic computing devices use quantum-mechanical spins (typically, electron spins) to encode logical bits. Bits thus encoded (denoted qubits) are potentially susceptible to errors caused by noise and decoherence. The traditional model of quantum computation is based partly on the assumption that each qubit is implemented by use of a single two-state quantum system, such as an electron or other spin-1.2 particle. It can be surprisingly difficult to achieve certain gate operations . most notably, those of arbitrary 1-qubit gates . in spintronic hardware according to this model. However, ironically, certain 2-qubit interactions (in particular, spin-spin exchange interactions) can be achieved relatively easily in spintronic hardware. Therefore, it would be fortunate if it were possible to implement any 1-qubit gate by use of a spin-spin exchange interaction. While such a direct representation is not possible, it is possible to achieve an arbitrary 1-qubit gate indirectly by means of a sequence of four spin-spin exchange interactions, which could be implemented by use of four exchange gates. Accordingly, the present scheme provides for mapping any 1-qubit gate in the logical basis into an equivalent sequence of at most four spin-spin exchange interactions in the physical (encoded) basis. The complexity of the mathematical derivation of the scheme from basic quantum principles precludes a description within this article; it must suffice to report that the derivation provides explicit constructions for finding the exchange couplings in the physical basis needed to implement any arbitrary 1-qubit gate. These constructions lead to spintronic encodings of quantum logic that are more efficient than those of a previously published scheme that utilizes a universal but fixed set of gates.

Williams, Colin↗
NASA NTRS2018

Space QUEST Mission Proposal: Experimentally Testing Decoherence Due to Gravity

Models of quantum systems on curved space-times lack sufficient experimental verification. Some speculative theories suggest that quantum properties, such as entanglement, may exhibit entirely different behavior to purely classical systems. By measuring this effect or lack thereof, we can test the hypotheses behind several such models. For instance, as predicted by Ralph and coworkers [T C Ralph, G J Milburn, and T Downes, Phys. Rev. A, 79(2):22121, 2009; T C Ralph and J Pienaar, New Journal of Physics, 16(8):85008, 2014], a bipartite entangled system could decohere if each particle traversed through a different gravitational field gradient. We propose to study this effect in a ground to space uplink scenario. We extend the above theoretical predictions of Ralph and coworkers and discuss the scientific consequences of detecting/failing to detect the predicted gravitational decoherence. We present a detailed mission design of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Space QUEST (Space - Quantum Entanglement Space Test) mission, and study the feasibility of the mission schema.

Entanglement↗
DOE OSTI2024

Decoherence Noise on the Superconducting Qubits Training Program

Quantum computing is a growing field with promising applications in a variety of fields such as healthcare, energy consumption, and cryptography. Quantum computing leverages the principles of quantum mechanics - superposition and entanglement. Yet, in the Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) Era - quantum systems face the major challenge of decoherence due to noise. This era is characterized by low amounts of qubits and high gate error. Decoherence leads to the loss of the quantum information stored in the qubit. Noise occurs with any quantum system that is exposed to the environment. It should also be noted that quantum information can be stored in the cavity - Fermilab specializes in coupling transmons to ultrahigh-Q SRF cavities. The Superconducting Qubits Training Program (SQTP) provides a visualization for beginners in quantum computing. The open quantum system simulated is a superconducting qubit (two-level atom) coupled to a microwave cavity whose excitations are photons. The Rotating Wave Approximation of the Jaynes-Cumming Hamiltonian is used. SQTP utilizes open-source Python-based libraries scQubits, NumPy, and QuTiP alongside the Master Lindblad equation. In this project, we study the different decay behaviors of qubits and cavities with collapse operators.

Lopez, Sara↗
DOE OSTI2026

Microstructural Topology as a Prescriptor for Quantum Coherence: Towards A Unified Framework for Decoherence in Superconducting Qubits

In superconducting quantum circuits, decoherence improvements are frequently obtained through process interventions that simultaneously modify surface chemistry, microstructural topology, and device geometry, leaving mechanistic attribution structurally underdetermined. Predictive materials engineering requires measurable structural statistics to be separated from geometry-dependent coupling coefficients into independently testable factors. We introduce the concept of classical and quantum microstructure. In that context, we formulate a channel-wise separable framework for decoherence in superconducting transmon qubits in which each loss channel is described by a reduced prescriptor. Here, a channel-specific microstructural state variable is determined independently of device geometry, and a geometry-dependent coupling functional is computable from field solutions without reference to surface chemistry. We derive this product form from a spatially resolved kernel representation and establish a perturbative separability criterion that defines the regime where independent variation of the variables is valid. The framework specifies five prescriptor classes for dominant loss pathways in transmon-class devices. Falsifiability is operationalized through a pre-committed 2x2 experimental protocol in which the variables must satisfy independent ratio checks within propagated uncertainty. A Minimum-Dataset Specification standardizes reporting for cross-laboratory inference. Part I establishes the conceptual and mathematical architecture; coordinated experimental validation is reserved for Part II.

Dravid, Vinayak P. [Northwestern U.]↗
DOE OSTI2025

Fluorescence quantum beats reveal tunable decoherence and the effect of transport in spin-entangled exciton pairs

Spin-decoherence in a population of entangled exciton pairs in an organic semiconductor can be tuned by the orientation of an applied magnetic field. Magnetic field dependent measurements of photoinduced fluorescence quantum beats and a model of spin coherence that accounts for transport-induced dephasing are used to derive the exciton hopping rate between inequivalent sites in a crystal lattice.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Addendum to: Combined analysis of neutrino decoherence at reactor experiments

We update our analyses to constrain neutrino decoherence induced by wavepacket separation with RENO and Daya Bay data, now including the final data sets of the two experiments. We find that while the individual bounds from Daya Bay and RENO data improve relative to our original estimates, the combined fits are still dominated by KamLAND data and are only minimally improved.

de Gouvêa, André↗
DOE OSTI2020

Thermal Decoherence of Superradiance in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystal Superlattices

Recent experiments by Rainò et al. have documented cooperative emission from CsPbBr 3 nanocrystal superlattices, exhibiting the hallmarks of low-temperature superradiance. In particular, the optical response is coherent and the radiative decay rate is increased by a factor of 3, relative to that of individual nanocrystals. However, the increase is 6 orders of magnitude smaller than what is theoretically expected from the superradiance of large assemblies, consisting of 10 6 –10 8 interacting nanocrystals. In this report we develop a theoretical model of superradiance for such systems and show that thermal decoherence is largely responsible for the drastic reduction of the radiative decay rate in nanocrystal superlattices. Our theoretical approach explains the experimental results, provides insight into the design of small nanocrystal superlattices, and shows a 4 orders of magnitude enhancement in superradiant response. These quantitative predictions pave the path toward observing superradiance at higher temperatures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Increased Crystal Field Drives Intermediate Coupling and Minimizes Decoherence in Tetravalent Praseodymium Qubits

Crystal field (CF) control of rare-earth (RE) ions has been employed to minimize decoherence in qubits and to enhance the effective barrier of single-molecule magnets. The CF approach has been focused on the effects of symmetry on dynamic magnetic properties. Herein, the magnitude of the CF is increased via control of the RE oxidation state. The enhanced 4f metal-ligand covalency in Pr 4+ gives rise to CF energy scales that compete with the spin-orbit coupling of Pr 4+ and thereby shifts the paradigm from the ionic ζ SOC >> V CF limit, used to describe trivalent RE-ion, to an intermediate coupling (IC) regime. We examine Pr 4+ -doped perovskite oxide lattices (BaSnO 3 and BaZrO 3 ). These systems are defined by IC which quenches orbital angular momentum. Therefore, the single-ion spin-orbit coupled states in Pr 4+ can be chemically tuned. We demonstrate a relatively large hyperfine interaction of A iso = 1800 MHz for Pr 4+ , coherent manipulation of the spin with Q M = 2Ω R $T$ m reaching up to ~400 for 0.1Pr:BSO at $T$ = 5 K, and significant improvement of the temperature at which $T$ m is limited by $T$ 1 ($T$* = 60 K) compared to other RE ion qubits.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Decoherence of $V^{–}_{B}$ spin defects in monoisotopic hexagonal boron nitride

Spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are promising quantum systems for the design of flexible two-dimensional quantum sensing platforms. Here we rely on hBN crystals isotopically enriched with either 10 B or 11 B to investigate the isotope-dependent properties of a spin defect featuring a broadband photoluminescence signal in the near infrared. By analyzing the hyperfine structure of the spin defect while changing the boron isotope, we first confirm that it corresponds to the negatively charged boron-vacancy center ($V^{–}_{B}$). We then show that its spin coherence properties are slightly improved in 10B-enriched samples. This is supported by numerical simulations employing cluster correlation expansion methods, which reveal the importance of the hyperfine Fermi contact term for calculating the coherence time of point defects in hBN. Using cross-relaxation spectroscopy, we finally identify dark electron spin impurities as an additional source of decoherence. This work provides new insights into the properties of $V^{–}_{B}$ spin defects, which are valuable for the future development of hBN-based quantum sensing foils.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Spin Decoherence Dynamics of Er 3+ in CeO 2 Films

Developing telecom-compatible spin-photon interfaces is essential towards scalable quantum networks. Erbium ions (Er 3+ ) exhibit a unique combination of a telecom (1.5 mu m) optical transition and an effective spin-1=2 ground state, but identifying a host that enables heterogeneous device integration while preserving long optical and spin coherence remains an open challenge. In this work, we explore the potential of Er 3+ :CeO 2 films on silicon and study the Er 3+ spin coherence, offering low nuclear spin density and the potential for on-chip integration. We demonstrate a 38.8 mu s spin coherence, which can be extended to 176.4 mu s with dynamical decoupling. Pairing experiments with cluster correlation expansion calculations, we identify spectral diffusion induced by bath Er 3+ spin flip-flops as the dominant decoherence mechanism and provide pathways to millisecond-scale coherence.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Diagnosis of information scrambling from Hamiltonian evolution under decoherence

We apply a quantum teleportation protocol based on the Hayden-Preskill thought experiment to quantify how scrambling a given quantum evolution is. It has an advantage over the direct measurement of out-of time ordered correlators when used to diagnose the information scrambling in the presence of decoherence effects stemming from a noisy quantum device. We demonstrate the protocol by applying it to two physical systems: Ising spin chain and SU(2) lattice Yang-Mills theory. To this end, we numerically simulate the time evolution of the two theories in the Hamiltonian formalism. The lattice Yang-Mills theory is implemented with a suitable truncation of Hilbert space on the basis of the Kogut-Susskind formalism. On a two-leg ladder geometry and with the lowest nontrivial spin representations, it can be mapped to a spin chain, which we call Yang-Mills-Ising model and is also directly applicable to future digital quantum simulations. Here, we find that the Yang-Mills-Ising model shows the signal of information scrambling at late times.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Identifying Decoherence Mechanisms in Superconducting Qubits through Advanced Materials Characterization

Although superconducting qubits have emerged as a leading technology platform for quantum computing through large improvements in device coherence times and gate fidelity in recent years, the presence of defects and impurities at the interfaces and surfaces in the constituent materials continue to limit performance and serve as a critical barrier in achieving scalable quantum systems. Understanding and eliminating these sources of quantum decoherence in superconducting qubit devices requires dedicated studies aimed at establishing robust structure-property relationships that will enable researchers to target and eliminate defects strategically. As part of the Superconducting Materials and Systems (SQMS) center, we have extensively employed state-of-the-art materials characterization techniques, including scanning/transmission electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, atom probe tomography, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in conjunction with device measurements to elucidate such relationships. In this talk, I will discuss some of our recent findings, including linking atomic defects to microwave loss in surface oxides, linking impurities in the Josephson Junction to qubit parameters, and linking low temperature precipitates to device performance. By applying these insights, we have been able to strategically develop and implement mitigation strategies for reliable fabrication of high coherence superconducting qubits.

Murthy, A. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000176776866)↗
DOE OSTI2026

Identifying Decoherence Mechanisms in Superconducting Qubits through Advanced Materials Characterization

Although superconducting qubits have emerged as a leading technology platform for quantum computing through large improvements in device coherence times and gate fidelity in recent years, the presence of defects and impurities at the interfaces and surfaces in the constituent materials continue to limit performance and serve as a critical barrier in achieving scalable quantum systems. Understanding and eliminating these sources of quantum decoherence in superconducting qubit devices requires dedicated studies aimed at establishing robust structure-property relationships that will enable researchers to target and eliminate defects strategically. As part of the Superconducting Materials and Systems (SQMS) center, we have extensively employed state-of-the-art materials characterization techniques, including scanning/transmission electron microscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, atom probe tomography, x-ray diffraction, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in conjunction with device measurements to elucidate such relationships. In this talk, I will discuss some of our recent findings, including linking atomic defects to microwave loss in surface oxides, linking impurities in the Josephson Junction to qubit parameters, and linking low temperature precipitates to device performance. By applying these insights, we have been able to strategically develop and implement mitigation strategies for reliable fabrication of high coherence superconducting qubits.

Murthy, A. [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000176776866)↗