Spectroscopy and Coherent Control of Two-Level System Defect Ensembles Using a Broadband 3D Waveguide

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates broadband spectroscopy and coherent control of two-level system defect ensembles in solid-state materials, revealing quantum interference effects and dynamics crucial for quantum device performance.

Contribution

It introduces an advanced broadband cryogenic spectroscopy technique to study collective TLS defect dynamics without full device fabrication, uncovering new quantum interference phenomena.

Findings

Identification of V-shaped spectral features indicating eigenmodes

Extraction of TLS spectral density of 84 GHz^-1 in silicon

Observation of amplitude- and phase-controlled interference fringes

Abstract

Defects in solid-state materials play a central role in determining coherence, stability, and performance in quantum technologies. Although narrowband techniques can probe specific resonances with high precision, a broadband spectroscopic approach captures the full spectrum of defect properties and dynamics. Two-level system (TLS) defects in amorphous dielectrics are a particularly important example because they are major sources of decoherence and energy loss in superconducting quantum devices. However, accessing and characterizing their collective dynamics remains far more challenging than probing individual TLS defects. Building on our previously developed Broadband Cryogenic Transient Dielectric Spectroscopy (BCTDS) technique, we study the coherent control and time-resolved dynamics of TLS defect ensembles over a wide frequency range of 3-5 GHz without requiring full device fabrication, revealing quantum interference effects, memory-dependent dynamics, and dressed-state evolution within the TLS defect bath. The spectral response reveals distinct V-shaped structures corresponding to the bare eigenmode frequencies. Using these features, we extract a TLS defect spectral density of 84 GHz^-1 for a silicon sample, across a 4.1-4.6 GHz span. Furthermore, we systematically investigate amplitude- and phase-controlled interference fringes for multiple temperatures and inter-pulse delays, providing direct evidence of coherent dynamics and control. A driven minimal spin model with dipole-dipole interactions that qualitatively capture the observed behavior is presented. Our results establish BCTDS as a versatile platform for broadband defect spectroscopy, offering new capabilities for diagnosing and mitigating sources of decoherence, engineering many-body dynamics, and exploring non-equilibrium phenomena in disordered quantum systems.