Quantum thermodynamics with a single superconducting vortex.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 39083614.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1126/sciadv.ado4032 and PMC identifier 11290525.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
We demonstrate complete control over dynamics of a single superconducting vortex in a nanostructure, which we coin the Single Vortex Box. Our device allows us to trap the vortex in a field-cooled aluminum nanosquare and expel it on demand with a nanosecond pulse of electrical current. Using the time-resolving nanothermometry we measure [Formula: see text] joules as the amount of the dissipated heat in the elementary process of the single-vortex expulsion. Our experiment enlightens the thermodynamics of the absorption process in the superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, in which vortices are perceived to be essential for a formation of a detectable hotspot. The demonstrated opportunity to manipulate a single superconducting vortex reliably in a confined geometry comprises a proof of concept of a nanoscale nonvolatile memory cell with subnanosecond write and read operations, which offers compatibility with quantum processors based either on superconducting qubits or on rapid single-flux quantum circuits.