Flux-Tunable Hybridization in a Double Quantum Dot Interferometer

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates flux-tunable tunnel coupling in a double quantum dot system, revealing oscillations with a flux quantum period and analyzing their implications for qubit readout.

Contribution

It introduces a method to tune and measure the tunnel coupling in a double quantum dot interferometer using flux, highlighting its potential for qubit parity readout.

Findings

Tunnel coupling oscillates with flux quantum periodicity.

Oscillation amplitude varies with involved levels.

Tunneling is not suppressed at oscillation minima.

Abstract

A single electron shared between two levels threaded by a magnetic flux is an irreducibly simple quantum system in which interference is predicted to occur. We demonstrate tuning of the tunnel coupling between two such electronic levels with flux, implemented in a loop comprising two quantum dots. Using radio-frequency reflectometry of the dots' gate electrodes we extract the inter-dot coupling, which exhibits oscillations with a periodicity of one flux quantum. In different tunneling regimes we benchmark the oscillations' contrast, and find that their amplitude varies with the levels involved, while tunneling is generically not suppressed at oscillation minima. These results establish the feasibility and limitations of parity readout of qubits with tunnel couplings tuned by flux.