Tunable high-efficiency microwave photon detector based on a double quantum dot coupled to a superconducting high-impedance cavity
(2026) In Science Advances 12(14).- Abstract
High-efficiency single-photon detection in the microwave domain is a key enabling technology for various quantum applications. However, the extremely low energy of microwave photons presents a fundamental challenge, preventing direct photon-to-charge conversion as achieved in optical systems using semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate continuous microwave photon detection with an efficiency approaching 70% in the single-photon regime. We use a hybrid system comprising a gate-defined double quantum dot (DQD) charge qubit in a gallium arsenide/aluminum gallium arsenide heterostructure, coupled to a high-impedance Josephson junction array cavity. We systematically optimize the hybrid architecture to maximize the detection efficiency by... (More)
High-efficiency single-photon detection in the microwave domain is a key enabling technology for various quantum applications. However, the extremely low energy of microwave photons presents a fundamental challenge, preventing direct photon-to-charge conversion as achieved in optical systems using semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate continuous microwave photon detection with an efficiency approaching 70% in the single-photon regime. We use a hybrid system comprising a gate-defined double quantum dot (DQD) charge qubit in a gallium arsenide/aluminum gallium arsenide heterostructure, coupled to a high-impedance Josephson junction array cavity. We systematically optimize the hybrid architecture to maximize the detection efficiency by leveraging strong charge-photon coupling, tunable DQD tunnel rates, and the frequency tunability of both subsystems. The system efficiency is characterized over a frequency range of 3 to 5.2 gigahertz. Our results establish semiconductor-based cavity-quantum electrodynamics architectures as a scalable and versatile platform for efficient microwave photon detection, opening promising avenues for quantum microwave optics and quantum information technologies.
(Less)
- author
- Oppliger, Fabian ; Jang, Wonjin ; Tarascio, Aldo ; De Palma, Franco ; Reichl, Christian ; Wegscheider, Werner ; Maisi, Ville F. LU ; Zumbühl, Dominik and Scarlino, Pasquale
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026-04
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Science Advances
- volume
- 12
- issue
- 14
- article number
- eaeb9784
- publisher
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:41931611
- scopus:105034954097
- ISSN
- 2375-2548
- DOI
- 10.1126/sciadv.aeb9784
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4436574a-7dff-4f38-b342-d45adfb7976d
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-19 11:52:44
- date last changed
- 2026-08-27 01:56:54
@article{4436574a-7dff-4f38-b342-d45adfb7976d,
abstract = {{<p>High-efficiency single-photon detection in the microwave domain is a key enabling technology for various quantum applications. However, the extremely low energy of microwave photons presents a fundamental challenge, preventing direct photon-to-charge conversion as achieved in optical systems using semiconductors. Here, we demonstrate continuous microwave photon detection with an efficiency approaching 70% in the single-photon regime. We use a hybrid system comprising a gate-defined double quantum dot (DQD) charge qubit in a gallium arsenide/aluminum gallium arsenide heterostructure, coupled to a high-impedance Josephson junction array cavity. We systematically optimize the hybrid architecture to maximize the detection efficiency by leveraging strong charge-photon coupling, tunable DQD tunnel rates, and the frequency tunability of both subsystems. The system efficiency is characterized over a frequency range of 3 to 5.2 gigahertz. Our results establish semiconductor-based cavity-quantum electrodynamics architectures as a scalable and versatile platform for efficient microwave photon detection, opening promising avenues for quantum microwave optics and quantum information technologies.</p>}},
author = {{Oppliger, Fabian and Jang, Wonjin and Tarascio, Aldo and De Palma, Franco and Reichl, Christian and Wegscheider, Werner and Maisi, Ville F. and Zumbühl, Dominik and Scarlino, Pasquale}},
issn = {{2375-2548}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{14}},
publisher = {{American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)}},
series = {{Science Advances}},
title = {{Tunable high-efficiency microwave photon detector based on a double quantum dot coupled to a superconducting high-impedance cavity}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aeb9784}},
doi = {{10.1126/sciadv.aeb9784}},
volume = {{12}},
year = {{2026}},
}