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KR-20260066815-A - Stackable circulators and a method for stacking circulators

KR20260066815AKR 20260066815 AKR20260066815 AKR 20260066815AKR-20260066815-A

Abstract

An array comprises two or more circulator assemblies within a stack, and the circulator assemblies are stacked adjacent to each other. Each circulator comprises a magnet having a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole, and the magnetic south poles of all magnets in one assembly are oriented toward the magnetic south poles of all magnets in another assembly, or the magnetic north poles of all magnets in one assembly are oriented toward the magnetic north poles of all magnets in another assembly.

Inventors

  • 사즈비, 메튜

Assignees

  • 아이큐엠 핀란드 오와이

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20241030
Priority Date
20231102

Claims (9)

  1. An array comprising two or more first circulator assemblies (21, 22, 23, 24, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62, 63) within a first stack, wherein the first circulator assemblies are stacked adjacently to each other so that each pair of adjacent first circulator assemblies forms a first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) comprising two members, and - Each first circulator assembly includes one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216), and - Each of the above one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216) is a microwave circulator, and - Each of the above one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216) comprises one or more first magnets having a north-seeking pole and a south-seeking pole, and - Each of the above one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216) includes a ferrimagnetic element, and In each first assembly pair, - The magnetic south poles of all first magnets within one of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) are facing the magnetic south poles of all first magnets within the other of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63), or - An array characterized in that the magnetic north poles of all first magnets within one of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) are oriented toward the magnetic north poles of all first magnets within the other of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63).
  2. In claim 1, the two or more first circulator assemblies (21, 22, 23, 24, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62, 63) comprise two end assemblies (21, 24, 51, 53, 61, 63) located at both ends of the first stack and at least one central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62) located between the two end assemblies, wherein one of the two members within each assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) is the central assembly, and each assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) The other of the two aforementioned members within becomes a central assembly or an end assembly, and - The magnetic south poles of all first magnets within each central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62) face the magnetic south poles of all first magnets within the first circulator assembly (21, 22, 51, 61) adjacent to the central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62) on the first side of the central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62), and - An array characterized in that the magnetic north poles of all first magnets within each central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62) face the magnetic north poles of all first magnets within the first circulator assembly (23, 24, 53, 63) adjacent to the central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62) on the second side of the central assembly (22, 23, 52, 62), and the second side is on the opposite side from the first side.
  3. An array characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 2, each of the one or more first magnets comprises at least one of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet.
  4. In any one of claims 1 to 3, the array also includes two or more second circulator assemblies (54, 55, 56) within a second stack, wherein the second circulator assemblies are stacked adjacent to each other, and the first stack and the second stack are adjacent to each other such that each second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) is adjacent to one of the two or more first circulator assemblies (51, 52, 53). - Each second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) includes one or more second circulators, and - Each of the above one or more second circulators is a microwave circulator, and - Each of the above one or more second circulators includes a second magnet having a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole, and - Each of the above one or more second circulators includes a ferrimagnetic element, and - Each second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) is characterized by being oriented such that the magnetic south poles of all second magnets within the second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) face the magnetic north poles of the first magnets within the adjacent first circulator assembly (51, 52, 53), and the magnetic north poles of all second magnets within the second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) face the magnetic south poles of the first magnets within the adjacent first circulator assembly (51, 52, 53).
  5. An array characterized in that, in any one of claims 1 to 4, the array is located in a cryogenic environment.
  6. In any one of paragraphs 1 through 5, - The above array also includes a quantum processing unit (QPU) (60) and a read circuit (69), and - The above QPU includes a QPU output port (600), and - The two or more first circulator assemblies (61, 62, 63) within the first stack include a circulator input port (601) and a circulator output port (602), and - The QPU output port (600) is connected to the circulator input port (601), and - The above circulator output port (602) is connected to the above reading circuit (69), and - An array characterized in that the two or more first circulator assemblies (61, 62, 63) are configured to transmit output signals from the QPU (60) to the read circuit (69).
  7. A method for stacking circulator assemblies adjacent to each other, wherein the stacked circulator assemblies comprise two or more first circulator assemblies (21, 22, 23, 24, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62, 63) within a first stack, and each pair of adjacent first circulator assemblies forms a first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) comprising two members, and - Each first circulator assembly (21, 22, 23, 24, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62, 63) includes one or more first circulators, and - Each of the above one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216) is a microwave circulator, and - Each of the above one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216) comprises one or more first magnets having a north-seeking pole and a south-seeking pole, and - Each of the above one or more first circulators (211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216) includes a ferrimagnetic element, and The above method comprises the steps of providing two or more first circulator assemblies (21, 22, 23, 24, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62, 63), and arranging the two or more first circulator assemblies (21, 22, 23, 24, 51, 52, 53, 61, 62, 63) adjacent to each other, - To have the magnetic south poles of all first magnets within one of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) facing the magnetic south poles of all first magnets within the other of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63), or - A method characterized by aligning the magnetic north poles of all first magnets within one of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63) with the magnetic north poles of all first magnets within the other of the two members of the first assembly pair (21-22, 22-23, 23-24, 51-52, 52-53, 61-62, 62-63).
  8. In claim 7, the stacked circulator assemblies also include two or more second circulator assemblies (54, 55, 56) within the second stack, and the first stack and the second stack are adjacent to each other such that each second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) is adjacent to one of the two or more first circulator assemblies (51, 52, 53). - Each second circulator assembly (54, 55, 56) includes one or more second circulators, and - Each of the above one or more second circulators is a microwave circulator, and - Each of the above one or more second circulators includes a second magnet having a magnetic north pole and a magnetic south pole, and - Each of the above one or more second circulators includes a ferrimagnetic element, and The above method is characterized by the steps of providing two or more second circulator assemblies (54, 55, 56) and arranging the two or more second circulator assemblies (54, 55, 56) adjacent to two or more first circulator assemblies (51, 52, 53), wherein the magnetic south poles of all second magnets within the second circulator assemblies (54, 55, 56) face the magnetic north poles of the first magnets within the adjacent first circulator assemblies (51, 52, 53), and the magnetic north poles of all second magnets within the second circulator assemblies (54, 55, 56) face the magnetic south poles of the first magnets within the adjacent first circulator assemblies (51, 52, 53).
  9. A quantum computing system comprising an array according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

Description

Stackable circulators and a method for stacking circulators The present disclosure relates to microwave technology, and more specifically to microwave circulators. The present disclosure also relates to the relative orientation of circulators when the circulators are arranged side by side. Circulators are irreversible devices that route microwave signals in a preferential direction. An essential element of a circulator is a magnet that maintains a preferential direction of propagation within the circulator due to Faraday rotation. FIG. 1a schematically illustrates a circulator having three conductors (11, 12, 13) and a magnet (8). The magnet (8) induces a magnetic bias field that affects a ferrimagnetic material (not shown) located at the junction. The conductors extend beyond the illustrated drawing and transmit microwave signals from one component to another. A microwave signal (1) entering the circulator through conductor (11) exits through conductor (12) due to Faraday rotation in the ferrimagnetic material. It does not exit through conductor (13). Conversely, a signal (2) entering through conductor (12) exits through conductor (13), and a signal (3) entering through 13 exits from 11. FIG. 1b illustrates a configuration in which a conductor (13) is terminated by a microwave absorption element (7). In this case, the circulator functions as an isolator that allows the signal (1) to pass from the conductor (11) to the conductor (12) but prevents the microwave signal (2) from entering the conductor (11). This feature is particularly useful in applications where the signal (1) is a weak signal and the microwave generating element at the other end (not illustrated end) of the conductor (11) is sensitive to external interference. For example, a qubit or sensor operating at a cryogenic temperature may generate an output signal (1) containing only a few microwave photons. When the output signal is read, the output line must be connected to preamplifiers. These preamplifiers may be located at a higher temperature than the qubit or sensor. The qubit or sensor can be effectively isolated from thermal noise and back-action noise from the preamplifier input using a type of circulator exemplified in FIG. 1b. The same principle applies to any application where the microwave element at the other end (invisible end) of the conductor (11) is sensitive to external interference regardless of temperature. To improve isolation effects, it is possible and often necessary to connect multiple circulators in series on the same output line. If multiple microwave output lines are used, each line requires a dedicated circulator (or multiple circulators in series), and accordingly, the circulators are often assembled side by side, and if a large number of circulators are required, the circulator assemblies can be stacked side by side. FIG. 1c schematically illustrates a stack having three circulator assemblies (14, 15, and 16). Each assembly includes three circulators arranged one above the other, assembly (14) includes circulators (111-113), assembly (15) includes circulators (114-116), and assembly (16) includes circulators (117-119). Each pair of letters N and S represents the north-seeking pole and south-seeking pole of the magnet within the exemplified circulator, respectively. A common problem in many microwave applications is that the circulator assembly must be placed relatively close to sensitive microwave elements located at the other end of the conductor (11) in FIG. 1a. The magnetic field generated by the magnets within the circulator assembly can interfere with the operation of these microwave elements. Accordingly, a trade-off is often made between (a) the space required for the circulator assemblies and the microwave elements connected to them, (b) the amount of magnetic interference to which the microwave elements are exposed, and (c) the quality of isolation (which depends on the number of circulators in the assembly and the number of magnets accordingly). The purpose of the present disclosure is to alleviate the limitations of the compromise mentioned above. The object of the present disclosure is achieved by the arrangement and method characterized by those mentioned in the independent claims. Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed in the dependent claims. The present disclosure is based on the concept of organizing circulator assemblies side by side such that magnetic north poles face magnetic north poles and/or magnetic south poles face magnetic south poles. The advantage of this array and method is that the magnetic field strength can be reduced around the circulator assembly. Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be described in more detail by preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, and in the accompanying drawings, FIGS. 1a–1c illustrate circulators and arrays known from the prior art. FIGS. 2a–2e illustrate arrays having two first circulator assemblies. FIG