Quantum Sensing With Superconducting Qubits For Fundamental Physics

Qub-IT is a project funded by National Commission 5 of INFN to develop superconducting qubits for Dark Matter searches and more.

Recent progresses in the ability to measure and manipulate individual quanta such as microwave-photons, phonons and magnons are opening new directions in the detection of Dark Matter and of Fifth Forces, in tests of Quantum Gravity and of Quantum Mechanics of macroscopic objects. Superconducting qubits constitute a fundamental building block of this progress. In the last 15 years quantum sensing with superconducting qubits has moved from proof of principle to application to fundamental physics experiments, showing an unprecedent improvement in sensitivity. This was made possible by the ability to engineer and fabricate quantum devices and to manipulate the qubit state with classical fields.
Quantum superposition and entanglement have been used to achieve Quantum-Non-Demolition detection of single photons and detection of itinerant photons, respectively, two fundamental features required by a microwave-photon detector in Axion dark-matter experiments.

Participating INFN Units: FERRARA, FIRENZE, LNF, MILANO, MILANO BICOCCA, PISA, SALERNO, TIFPA

Additional research institutes: Fondazione Bruno Kessler FBK, CNR-IFN