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US 2022/0188683 A1Published application
Vector signal generator operating on microwave frequencies, and method for generating time-controlled vector signals on microwave frequencies
AssigneeIQM Finland Oy
InventorsJan Goetz, Mikko Möttönen, Juha Hassel, Tuomas Ollikainen
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Abstract
A vector signal generator is capable of operating on microwave frequencies. It comprises a microwave resonator, an output for coupling microwave photons out of said microwave resonator, and a Josephson junction or junction array coupled to the microwave resonator for emitting microwave signals into the microwave resonator. A biasing circuit is provided for applying a bias to the Josephson junction or junction array. A tunable attenuator is coupled to said microwave resonator.
Claims16
1:
- A vector signal generator capable of operating on microwave frequencies, the vector signal generator comprising:
- a microwave resonator:
- an output for coupling microwave photons out of said microwave resonator;
- a first Josephson junction or junction array coupled to the microwave resonator for emitting microwave signals into the microwave resonator;
- a first biasing circuit for applying a first bias to said first Josephson junction or junction array;
- and
- a tunable attenuator coupled to said microwave resonator.
4 more elements
2:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 1, wherein said tunable attenuator comprises a superconductor-insulator-normal conductor-insulator-superconductor link (“SINIS structure”) and a second biasing circuit for applying a second bias to said SIMS structure, to control a rate at which electrons absorb microwave photons from said microwave resonator in tunneling across said SINIS structure.
3:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 1, wherein said tunable attenuator comprises a second, dissipative resonator having a tunable resonance frequency coupled to said microwave resonator.
4:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 1, wherein said output comprises a controllable coupler.
5:
- Tag vector signal generator according to claim 4, wherein:
- said controllable coupler comprises a transformer with a primary side and a secondary side, of which said primary side is coupled to said microwave resonator, and
- said transformer comprises a tunable inductance for tuning a coupling efficiency of microwave photons out of said microwave resonator through said transformer.
6:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 5, wherein:
- said tunable inductance comprises a second Josephson junction or junction array located on said primary side of said transformer, and
- said vector signal generator further comprises a second biasing circuit for applying a second bias to said second Josephson junction or junction array.
7:
- Tag vector signal generator according to claim 4, wherein said controllable coupler comprises at least two outputs from said microwave resonator and a controllable combiner circuit is configured to selectively direct microwave signals from said at least two outputs to a common externally coupled circuit.
8:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 1, further comprising a controllable phase shifter coupled to said output of said microwave resonator for controlling a phase of microwave signals coupled out of said microwave resonator.
9:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 8, wherein said controllable phase shifter comprises at least three tunable elements coupled at different positions along a transmission line leading out of said output of the microwave resonator, and wherein each of said tunable elements is selected from a group comprising tunable resonators, DC SQUIDs, and qubits.
10:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 9, wherein said controllable phase shifter comprises at least five of said tunable elements coupled at different positions along said transmission line.
11:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 9, wherein each of said tunable resonators comprises:
- a coupling element for making a coupling to said transmission line;
- a DC superconducting quantum interference device (“SQUID”) coupled between said coupling element and a reference potential;
- and
- a flux bias line of said DC SQUID for controlling a magnetic flux that penetrates a SQUID loop of said DC SQUID.
2 more elements
12:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 9, wherein said tunable resonators are located along said transmission line at mutual distances of a quarter wavelength of microwaves of an operating frequency of said microwave resonator.
13:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 1, wherein:
- said microwave resonator is a tunable microwave resonator having a resonance frequency of which is tunable within a tuning range,
- the vector signal generator comprises a filter coupled to said output, and
- said tuning range of the resonance frequency of said microwave resonator allows tuning said resonance frequency selectively to a stop frequency or a pass frequency of said filter.
1 more element
14:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 13, wherein said filter is a reflectionless high-pass filter.
15:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 1, further comprising an injection locking input for inputting a seed tone into the microwave resonator.
16:
- The vector signal generator according to claim 15, wherein said injection locking input and said controllable coupler are located at opposite ends of said microwave resonator.