Near-Quantum-Limited Readout for the Princeton Axion Search using a sub-GHz Kinetic Inductance Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier
Authors: Joe Wiedemann, Roman Kolevatov, Jianyang Fu, Joelle-Marie Begin, Nate Otto, Felix St-Amour, Lyman Page, Henry LeDuc, Peter Day, Saptarshi Chaudhuri
Abstract
Parametric amplifiers are a workhorse for near-quantum-limited measurements above 1 GHz. However, amplifier development has been more limited below 1 GHz. We present a kinetic inductance traveling-wave parametric amplifier (KI-TWPA) operating over 300-700 MHz, with gain exceeding 30 dB and pump powers of a few hundred nanowatts. The system noise performance, as measured by a variable-temperature noise source, is 2.5-3.5 quanta. This device is a versatile new tool for precision measurements of sub-GHz signals, with applications including readout of semiconductor spin qubits, superconducting detector arrays, and searches for new physics beyond the Standard Model. We characterize aspects of the amplifier performance relevant to axion searches, including gain drift, compression point, amplifier noise at various operating temperatures, readout with an input circulator, and magnetic field insensitivity.
The papers around it, by date and closeness
Higher is closer to this paper; left is older. Lines join papers close to each other: groups of lines are sub-topics. Select a point to see why it is there. Back to the summary of this paper
Papers around this one
Ranked by how close their title and abstract are to this paper’s. Select some to read them together.
Closest papers
-
Operation of Unshielded Kinetic-Inductance Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifiers in Multi-Tesla FieldsC. Boutan, Erik W. Lentz, C. Shiu et al. · 2026 · arXiv.org · preprint, not peer reviewed · cited 1 time · Not summarized yet
Operation of unshielded KI-TWPAs tests their operation in multi-tesla fields, while this paper characterizes magnetic-field insensitivity for a sub-GHz KI-TWPA.
Abstract
Cryogenic parametric amplifiers are used to amplify radio-frequency signals for a range of applications in basic and applied science. Both Josephson Parametric Amplifiers and Josephson Traveling-Wave Parametric Amplifiers have been used as first-stage amplifiers enabling readout chains operating within a few quanta of the quantum limit. However, these devices are highly sensitive to magnetic fields, having critical current suppressed by the Fraunhofer effect, requiring substantial field-free zones. In a dark matter axion search experiment, axions convert to detectable microwave photons in the presence of a strong magnetic field, necessitating amplifiers that can reliably operate close to the…
-
Kinetic Inductance Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifiers Near the Quantum Limit: Methodology and CharacterizationL. Howe, Andrea Giachero, M. Vissers et al. · 2025 · cited 7 times · Not summarized yet
Kinetic Inductance Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifiers Near the Quantum Limit develops and characterizes NbTiN KI-TWPAs, using the same amplifier approach at different frequencies.
Abstract
We present a detailed simulation and design framework for realizing traveling wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) using the nonlinear kinetic inductance of disordered superconductors -- in our case niobium-titanium-nitride (NbTiN). These kinetic inductance TWPAs (KITs) operate via three-wave mixing (3WM) to achieve high broadband gain and near-quantum-limited (nQL) noise. Representative fabricated devices -- realized using an inverted microstrip (IMS), dispersion-engineered, artificial transmission line -- demonstrate power gains above 25 dB, bandwidths beyond 3 GHz, and achieve ultimate system noise levels of 1.1 quanta even when operated with no magnetic shielding. These performance metrics…
-
A 4–8 GHz kinetic inductance traveling-wave parametric amplifier using four-wave mixing with near quantum-limited noise performanceF. Faramarzi, R. Stephenson, S. Sypkens et al. · 2024 · APL Quantum · cited 34 times · Not summarized yet
A 4–8 GHz KI-TWPA uses four-wave mixing for near-quantum-limited amplification, whereas this paper characterizes a KI-TWPA operating at 300–700 MHz.
Abstract
Kinetic inductance traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (KI-TWPAs) have a wide instantaneous bandwidth with a near quantum-limited noise performance and a relatively high dynamic range. Because of this, they are suitable readout devices for cryogenic detectors and superconducting qubits and have a variety of applications in quantum sensing. This work discusses the design, fabrication, and performance of a KI-TWPA based on four-wave mixing in a NbTiN microstrip transmission line. This device amplifies a signal band from 4 to 8 GHz without contamination from image tones, which are produced in a separate higher frequency band. The 4–8 GHz band is commonly used to read out cryogenic detectors, s…
-
A Sub-GHz Impedance-Engineered Parametric Amplifier for the Readout of Sensors and Quantum DotsV. Vesterinen, S. Simbierowicz, R. Jabdaraghi et al. · 2022 · IEEE transactions on applied superconductivity · cited 5 times · Not summarized yet
A Sub-GHz Impedance-Engineered Parametric Amplifier improves 600 MHz readout bandwidth with a flux-driven Josephson amplifier rather than a kinetic-inductance traveling-wave amplifier.
Abstract
In the work on superconducting parametric amplifiers, the frequency band below one gigahertz is calling for systematic improvements. Despite a prospect for ultralow added noise, bandwidth limitations have slowed down the integration of such amplifiers into sub-GHz experiments demanding fast ($< 1\, \mu$s) readout speeds. Here, we study the impedance engineering of a flux-driven Josephson parametric amplifier (JPA) at 600 MHz. We propose, simulate and experimentally demonstrate a partially reconfigurable impedance transformer. The transformer enhances the JPA bandwidth to a state-of-the-art value of 10 MHz at 20 dB gain. Our amplifier has immediate applications in the readout of cryogenic sen…
-
Wide-band parametric amplifier readout and resolution of optical microwave kinetic inductance detectorsN. Zobrist, B. Eom, P. Day et al. · 2019 · Applied Physics Letters · cited 65 times · Not summarized yet
Wide-band parametric amplifier readout uses a KI-TWPA to reduce noise in optical MKID readout, while this paper studies its use for sub-GHz measurements and axion searches.
Abstract
The energy resolution of a single photon counting Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detector (MKID) can be degraded by noise coming from the primary low temperature amplifier in the detector's readout system. Until recently, quantum limited amplifiers have been incompatible with these detectors due to dynamic range, power, and bandwidth constraints. However, we show that a kinetic inductance based traveling wave parametric amplifier can be used for this application and reaches the quantum limit. The total system noise for this readout scheme was equal to ~2.1 in units of quanta. For incident photons in the 800 to 1300 nm range, the amplifier increased the average resolving power of the detector f…
-
Kinetic inductance traveling-wave amplifiers for multiplexed qubit readoutL. Ranzani, M. Bal, K. Fong et al. · 2018 · Applied Physics Letters · cited 51 times · Not summarized yet
Kinetic inductance traveling-wave amplifiers for multiplexed qubit readout characterizes noise and wideband performance of a KIT amplifier for superconducting qubits.
Abstract
We describe a kinetic inductance traveling-wave (KIT) amplifier suitable for superconducting quantum information measurements and characterize its wideband scattering and noise properties. We use mechanical microwave switches to calibrate the four amplifier scattering parameters up to the device input and output connectors at the dilution refrigerator base temperature and a tunable temperature load to characterize the amplifier noise. Finally, we demonstrate the high fidelity simultaneous dispersive readout of two superconducting transmon qubits. The KIT amplifier provides low-noise amplification of both readout tones with readout fidelities of 83% and 89% and negligible effect on qubit life…
-
Magnetic Field-Resilient Quantum-Limited Parametric AmplifierMing-Rui Xu, Risheng Cheng, Yufeng Wu et al. · 2022 · PRX Quantum · cited 47 times · Not summarized yet
Magnetic Field-Resilient Quantum-Limited Parametric Amplifier uses kinetic-inductance nonlinearity for field-resilient amplification, sharing this paper’s focus on magnetic-field-compatible readout.
Abstract
Superconducting parametric amplifiers are crucial components in microwave quantum circuits for enabling quantum-limited signal readout. The best-performing such amplifiers are often based on Josephson junctions, which however are sensitive to magnetic fields. Therefore, they require magnetic shields and are not easily integratable with other quantum systems that operates within magnetic fields, such as spin ensemble quantum memories. To tackle this challenge, we have developed a kinetic inductance-based parametric amplifier featuring a NbN nanobridge instead of Josephson Junctions, which provides the desired nonlinearity for a strong parametric gain up to 42 dB. The added noise of this nanob…
-
Dark matter axion search using a Josephson Traveling wave parametric amplifier.C. Bartram, T. Braine, R. Cervantes et al. · 2021 · Review of Scientific Instruments · cited 96 times · Not summarized yet
Dark matter axion search using a Josephson TWPA demonstrates axion detection with a parametric amplifier, while this paper characterizes a KI-TWPA for axion-search readout.
Abstract
We describe the first implementation of a Josephson Traveling Wave Parametric Amplifier (JTWPA) in an axion dark matter search. The operation of the JTWPA for a period of about two weeks achieved sensitivity to axion-like particle dark matter with axion-photon couplings above 10-13 Ge V-1 over a narrow range of axion masses centered around 19.84 µeV by tuning the resonant frequency of the cavity over the frequency range of 4796.7-4799.5 MHz. The JTWPA was operated in the insert of the axion dark matter experiment as part of an independent receiver chain that was attached to a 0.56-l cavity. The ability of the JTWPA to deliver high gain over a wide (3 GHz) bandwidth has engendered interest fr…
Prior work it builds on
-
Near-quantum-limited subgigahertz TiN kinetic inductance traveling-wave parametric amplifier operating in a frequency-translating modeF. Faramarzi, S. Sypkens, R. Stephenson et al. · 2025 · Physical Review Applied · cited 2 times · Not summarized yet
Near-quantum-limited subgigahertz TiN KI-TWPA studies a sub-GHz kinetic-inductance traveling-wave amplifier, sharing the device class and frequency range.
-
Accelerating dark-matter axion searches with quantum measurement technologyHuai-Xiu Zheng, M. Silveri, R. T. Brierley et al. · 2016 · arXiv: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology · preprint, not peer reviewed · cited 49 times · Not summarized yet
Accelerating dark-matter axion searches with quantum measurement technology discusses quantum-noise limits and measurement strategies for axion searches, the broader application motivating this amplifier work.
Abstract
The axion particle, a consequence of an elegant hypothesis that resolves the strong-CP problem of quantum chromodynamics, is a plausible origin for cosmological dark matter. In searches for axionic dark matter that detect the conversion of axions to microwave photons, the quantum noise associated with microwave vacuum fluctuations will soon limit the rate at which parameter space is searched. Here we show that this noise can be partially overcome either by squeezing the quantum vacuum using recently developed Josephson parametric devices, or by using superconducting qubits to count microwave photons. The recently demonstrated ability of superconducting qubits to make QND measurements of micr…
-
A travelling-wave parametric amplifier and converterM. Malnou, B. T. Miller, J. A. Estrada et al. · 2025 · Nature Electronics · cited 18 times · Not summarized yet
A travelling-wave parametric amplifier and converter develops a traveling-wave parametric device for low-noise signal amplification, sharing the amplifier approach.
Abstract
High-fidelity qubit measurement is a critical element of all quantum computing architectures. In superconducting systems, qubits are typically measured by probing a readout resonator with a weak microwave tone that must be amplified before reaching the room-temperature electronics. Superconducting parametric amplifiers have been widely adopted as the first amplifier in the chain, primarily because of their low-noise performance, approaching the quantum limit. However, they require isolators and circulators to route signals up the measurement chain and to protect qubits from amplified noise. Although these commercial components are wideband and simple to use, their intrinsic loss, size and ma…
-
Low-noise cryogenic microwave amplifier characterization with a calibrated noise source.M. Malnou, T. Larson, J. D. Teufel et al. · 2023 · Review of Scientific Instruments · cited 29 times · Not summarized yet
Low-noise cryogenic microwave amplifier characterization with a calibrated noise source explains noise measurement methods for parametric amplifiers, relevant to this paper’s variable-temperature noise characterization.
Abstract
Parametric amplifiers have become a workhorse in superconducting quantum computing; however, research and development of these devices has been hampered by inconsistent and, sometimes, misleading noise performance characterization methodologies. The concepts behind noise characterization are deceptively simple, and there are many places where one can make mistakes, either in measurement or in interpretation and analysis. In this article, we cover the basics of noise performance characterization and the special problems it presents in parametric amplifiers with limited power handling capability. We illustrate the issues with three specific examples: a high-electron mobility transistor amplifi…
-
Traveling wave parametric amplifier with Josephson junctions using minimal resonator phase matchingT. White, J. Mutus, I. Hoi et al. · 2015 · Applied Physics Letters · cited 180 times · Not summarized yet
Traveling wave parametric amplifier with Josephson junctions uses a Josephson-junction transmission line to realize a TWPA, an alternative implementation of traveling-wave amplification.
Abstract
Josephson parametric amplifiers have become a critical tool in superconducting device physics due to their high gain and quantum-limited noise. Traveling wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) promise similar noise performance, while allowing for significant increases in both bandwidth and dynamic range. We present a TWPA device based on an LC-ladder transmission line of Josephson junctions and parallel plate capacitors using low-loss amorphous silicon dielectric. Crucially, we have inserted λ/4 resonators at regular intervals along the transmission line in order to maintain the phase matching condition between pump, signal, and idler and increase gain. We achieve an average gain of 12 dB across…
Go further
How are these papers found?
We compare the title and abstract of this paper with those of every paper summarized on this site, and with the papers Semantic Scholar recommends, those it cites and those citing it (for a much-cited paper, its most recent citations and, from OpenAlex, the most cited ones). Among the prior work and the follow-ups, the papers that use each other in depth, a method it uses and the much-cited follow-ups come a little higher. The levels (very close, close, related) come from the similarity of the texts, not from a judgment of quality; * marks a paper without an abstract, compared by its title. The sentence under a paper is written by an AI from the two abstracts: check it in the papers. A paper marked not relevant by three readers leaves the list.
Updated on 10 November 2026.