ACMD Seminar: Many-body physics in superconducting devices

Stephen Sorokanich
NIST ITL, Applied and Computational Mathematics Div.

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024, 3:00-4:00 PM ET (1:00-2:00 PM MT)

Abstract: The Josephson junction – a thin insulating film sandwiched between two superconductors – is arguably the most important building block of modern superconducting circuits. In recent years large arrays of Josephson junctions have found applications in quantum information processing, quantum metrology, quantum-limited amplification, and many-body simulation. Modern circuits may contain hundreds or even thousands of junctions, and while it is often possible to model such devices as effective single-variable quantum systems, in principle each junction represents an independent quantum degree of freedom which may be strongly-coupled to one another.

In this talk, I will discuss recent advances in the modeling, simulation, and mathematical analysis of large quantum circuits containing many Josephson junctions, with emphasis on their many-body aspects. Our uniquely-interdisciplinary research program is focused on predicting and optimizing the behavior of these circuits.

Bio: Stephen Sorokanich is an NRC postdoc in ACMD. He received his PhD in Applied Mathematics from University of Maryland, College Park in 2022, specializing in the analysis of partial differential equations coming from quantum physics.

Host: Leroy Jia

Note: This talk will be recorded to provide access to NIST staff and associates who could not be present to the time of the seminar. The recording will be made available in the Math channel on NISTube, which is accessible only on the NIST internal network. This recording could be released to the public through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. Do not discuss or visually present any sensitive (CUI/PII/BII) material. Ensure that no inappropriate material or any minors are contained within the background of any recording. (To facilitate this, we request that cameras of attendees are muted except when asking questions.)

*Safety Precaution: The hallway leading from the Courtyard to the exit closest to B-111 and B-113 will be used by contractors to move debris, machinery, and other supplies, as well as will be heavily trafficked by the contractors throughout the process. Be aware of the safety precautions posted during this time.

Note: Visitors from outside NIST must contact Meliza Lane at least 24 hours in advance.