Carmine Granata is one of the co-authors of the January 2024 newsletter dedicated to superconducting quantum technologies and written by Fluxonics of which ISASI is one of the founding members. Superconductors exhibit quantum behavior on a macroscopic scale, making them natural candidates to drive the advancement of quantum technologies, and in particular the development of quantum processors. Superconducting devices inherently possess quantization characteristics that enable the creation of qubits, the fundamental unit of quantum information. Superconducting qubits can be held in a coherent state long enough that error-free quantum calculations can be followed over long enough periods. An obstacle to the integration and miniaturization of quantum systems is certainly the precise readout and control of the qubits, which require the generation of microwave signals and amplification through the various layers of wiring and connections, as well as the considerable temperature gradients (from 300K to a few mK). Such control methods are impractical for large-scale quantum computers capable of running complex quantum algorithms. Superconducting circuits, thanks to their low noise and low power dissipation, are the main candidates for the creation of the necessary readout and control electronics for quantum processors. Superconducting quantum technologies also allow the development of sensors and detectors with extreme sensitivity and resolution that can get very close to the quantum limit. Superconducting sensors and detectors have a significant impact across an extremely broad range of applications in physics, chemistry, materials science, astronomy, geophysics, archaeology, biotechnology, medicine and satellite communications.
