Mythili Surendran, Aeron Tynes Hammack, Yashwanth Balaji
Superconducting circuits form the backbone of many quantum computing and quantum sensing technologies. However, their performance is often limited by materials-related imperfections that introduce loss, decoherence, and device variability. This symposium will focus on the fundamental materials science challenges that impact superconducting qubits, resonators, and sensing platforms such as kinetic inductance detectors and transition-edge sensors. Topics will include thin-film growth and processing of superconducting materials, interfacial and surface defects, two-level systems (TLS), materials disorder, and contamination that degrade coherence and sensitivity. Advances in characterization techniques including spectroscopy, microscopy, and in situ diagnostics will also be discussed, alongside emerging approaches for materials optimization and scalable fabrication. By bringing together researchers from materials science, condensed matter physics, and device engineering, the symposium aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and highlight strategies to engineer low-loss materials and interfaces critical for next-generation quantum technologies.
Symposium Sponsor:
Friday, August 21
Symposium Location: El Dorado Room
Symposium Schedule:
1:25 – 1:55 pm
Millisecond lifetimes and coherence times in 2D transmon qubits
Faranak Bahrami, Princeton University
1:55 – 2:25 pm
Synergistic Advancements in Superconducting Devices for Quantum Science and Fundamental Physics
Aritoki Suzuki, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2:25 – 2:40 pm
A phonon-engineered merged-element transmon qubit
Kangdi Yu, University of California, Berkeley
2:40 – 2:55 pm
Characterizing superconducting Hafnium films for low-temperature detectors
Kaja Rotermund, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
2:55 – 3:20 pm
Break
3:20 pm
Symposium Continues
3:20 – 3:50 pm
Probing Coordination Environments and Interfaces in the Amorphous Barrier of Aluminum Josephson Junctions
Paul Corbae, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
3:50 – 4:20 pm
Materials Science of alpha-Ta Films for Superconducting Qubits: From Process Sensitivity to Manufacturing Scale
Adrian Llanos, Amazon
4:20 – 4:35 pm
Development of Superconducting Devices to Investigate the “Low Energy Excess”
Michael Williams, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
4:35 – 4:50 pm
Atomic Layer Etching of Dielectrics and Superconductors for Better Quantum Device Performance
Maria Efthymiou Tsironi, University of Copenhagen