Surface loss simulations of superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators

TL;DR

This paper models and simulates surface losses in superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators, revealing that metal-substrate and substrate-air interfaces are the main sources of loss, guiding device optimization.

Contribution

It provides a detailed simulation of surface loss mechanisms and identifies the dominant interfaces contributing to losses in superconducting resonators.

Findings

Metal-substrate and substrate-air interfaces are the main sources of surface loss.

Losses depend on power, geometry, and dimensions of the resonator.

Simulation results can guide device optimization with conventional materials.

Abstract

Losses in superconducting planar resonators are presently assumed to predominantly arise from surface-oxide dissipation, due to experimental losses varying with choice of materials. We model and simulate the magnitude of the loss from interface surfaces in the resonator, and investigate the dependence on power, resonator geometry, and dimensions. Surprisingly, the dominant surface loss is found to arise from the metal-substrate and substrate-air interfaces. This result will be useful in guiding device optimization, even with conventional materials.