Quantum Coherence in Superconducting Vortex States
Abstract
Abrikosov vortices, where the superconducting gap is completely suppressed in the core, are dissipative, semi-classical entities that impact applications from high-current-density wires to superconducting quantum devices. In contrast, we present evidence that vortices trapped in granular superconducting films can behave as two-level systems, exhibiting microsecond-range quantum coherence and energy relaxation times that reach fractions of a millisecond. These findings support recent theoretical modeling of superconductors with granularity on the scale of the coherence length as tunnel junction networks, resulting in gapped vortices. Using the tools of circuit quantum electrodynamics, we perform coherent manipulation and quantum non-demolition readout of vortex states in granular aluminum microwave resonators, heralding new directions for quantum information processing, materials characterization, and sensing.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2510.19769,
title = {Quantum Coherence in Superconducting Vortex States},
author = {Ameya Nambisan and Simon Günzler and Dennis Rieger and Nicolas Gosling and Simon Geisert and Victor Carpentier and Nicolas Zapata and Mitchell Field and Milorad V. Milošević and Carlos A. Diaz Lopez and Ciprian Padurariu and Björn Kubala and Joachim Ankerhold and Wolfgang Wernsdorfer and Martin Spiecker and Ioan M. Pop},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2510.19769},
year = {2025}
}