A programmable circuit includes a superconducting component arranged in a multi-dimensional array of alternating narrow and wide portions. The programmable circuit further includes a plurality of heat sources, each heat source configured to selectively provide heat to a respective narrow portion sufficient to transition the respective narrow portion from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state. The programmable circuit further includes a plurality of electrical terminals, each electrical terminal coupled to a respective wide portion of the multi-dimensional array.

This disclosure relates to optical devices for quantum information processing applications. In one example implementation, a semiconductor structure is provided. The semiconductor structure may be embedded with single defects that can be individually addressed. An electric bias and/or one or more optical excitations may be configured to control the single defects in the semiconductor structure to produce single photons for use in quantum information processing. The electric bias and optical excitations are selected and adjusted to control various carrier processes and to reduce environmental charge instability of the single defects to achieve optical emission with wide wavelength tunability and narrow spectral linewidth. Electrically controlled single photon source and other electro-optical devices may be achieved.

An active three-terminal superconducting device having an intersection region at which a hot spot may be controllably formed is described. The intersection region may exhibit current crowding in response to imbalances in current densities applied to channels connected to intersection region. The current crowding may form a hot spot, in which the superconducting device may exhibit a measurable resistance. In some cases, a three-terminal superconducting device may be configured to sense an amount of superconducting current flowing in a channel or loop without having to perturb the superconducting state or amount of current flowing in the channel. A three-terminal superconducting device may be used to read out a number of fluxons stored in a superconducting memory element.

In some embodiments, a method and apparatus, as well as an article, may operate to determine downhole properties based on detected optical signals. An optical detection apparatus can include an optical detector including a superconducting nanowire single photon detector (SNSPD) for detecting light received at an input section of fiber optic cable. The optical detection apparatus can further include a cryogenic cooler configured to maintain the temperature of a light-sensitive region of the SNSPD within a superconducting temperature range of the SNSPD. Downhole properties are measured based on detected optical signals received at the optical detection apparatus. Additional apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Devices, systems, methods, computer-implemented methods, apparatus, and/or computer program products that can facilitate a suspended Majorana fermion device comprising an ion implant defined nanorod in a semiconducting device are provided. According to an embodiment, a quantum computing device can comprise a Majorana fermion device coupled to an ion implanted region. The quantum computing device can further comprise an encapsulation film coupled to the ion implanted region and a substrate layer. The encapsulation film suspends the Majorana fermion device in the quantum computing device.

A programmable circuit includes a superconducting component arranged in a multi-dimensional array of alternating narrow and wide portions. The programmable circuit further includes a plurality of heat sources, each heat source configured to selectively provide heat to a respective narrow portion sufficient to transition the respective narrow portion from a superconducting state to a non-superconducting state. The programmable circuit further includes a plurality of electrical terminals, each electrical terminal coupled to a respective wide portion of the multi-dimensional array.

An electronic device includes a substrate and a layer of superconducting material disposed over the substrate. The layer of superconducting material includes a first wire and a loop that is (i) distinct and separate from the first wire and (ii) capacitively coupled to the first wire while the loop and the first wire are in a superconducting state.

A device includes a first semiconductor layer; a portion of a second semiconductor layer disposed on the first semiconductor layer; and a third semiconductor layer including a first region disposed on the portion of the second semiconductor layer and a second region disposed on the first semiconductor layer. A thickness of the first region is less than a predefined thickness. The device also includes an etch stop layer disposed on the third semiconductor layer; a plurality of distinct portions of a fourth semiconductor layer disposed on the etch stop layer and exposing one or more distinct portions of the etch stop layer over the portion of the second semiconductor layer; and a plurality of distinct portions of a superconducting layer disposed on the plurality of distinct portions of the fourth semiconductor layer and the exposed one or more distinct portions of the etch stop layer.

The present disclosure provides a method for making a single photon detector with a modified superconducting nanowire. The method includes: preparing a substrate; modifying a superconducting nanowire with stress on a surface of the substrate; and fabricating a superconducting nanowire single photon detector based on the superconducting nanowire with stress. Based on the above technical solution, in the superconducting nanowire single photon detector provided by the present disclosure, the device material layer film has a certain thickness, the critical temperature of the device material can be reduced, the uniformity of the device material and small superconducting transition width are ensured, thereby improving the detection efficiency of the device.

The present disclosure provides a method and system for improving a counting rate of a superconducting nanowire single photon detector. The method includes: coupling an electrical attenuator in series with an output end of the superconducting nanowire single photon detector; the electrical attenuator includes an input end and an output end, and the input end of the electrical attenuator is coupled with the output end of the superconducting nanowire single photon detector. The present disclosure couples the electrical attenuator in series with the output end of the superconducting nanowire single photon detector. Since the configuration of the electrical attenuator is a resistor network, it can act as a series resistor and can also reduce the response pulse amplitude of the superconducting nanowire single photon detector. The present disclosure can improve the counting rate of the superconducting nanowire single photon detector, while keeping the detection efficiency high.