Superconducting qubits are among the leading platforms for realizing fault-tolerant quantum computation. However, atomic-scale material defects, known as two-level systems (TLS), naturally occur at the surfaces and interfaces of all materials that constitute superconducting qubits. These TLS defects limit the performance of superconducting qubits, affecting both the coherence of individual physical qubits, and the optimization landscape of large-scale quantum processors.
In this talk, I will present a new approach that directly modifies the properties of TLS through nanoscale engineering. This transforms TLS into a potentially useful quantum resource, opening new opportunities in the superconducting qubit platform. I will discuss two primary directions my lab at the UW will pursue: 1. Quantum sensing, with a focus on noise characterization in the superconducting qubit platform; 2. Development of a new type of qubit based on individual TLS defects.