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Enhancing the sensitivity of single-microwave-photon detection with bandwidth tunability

Louis Pallegoix1, Jaime Travesedo1, Alexandre S. May1,2, Léo Balembois1, Denis Vion1, Patrice Bertet1,*, and Emmanuel Flurin1,†

  • 1Université Paris-Saclay, CEA Paris-Saclay, CNRS, SPEC, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
  • 2Alice & Bob, 53 Boulevard du Général Martial Valin, 75015 Paris, France

  • *Contact author: patrice.bertet@cea.fr
  • †Contact author: emmanuel.flurin@cea.fr
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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 044064 – Published 23 April, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/dbqj-qld5

Abstract

We report on the characteristics of a microwave photon-counter device based on a superconducting transmon qubit. Its design is similar to that described by Balembois et al. [Phys. Rev. Appl. 21, 014043 (2024)], which achieved a sensitivity of 10−22W/Hz, but with an additional bandwidth-tuning circuit that permits tuning the detection bandwidth over an order of magnitude to optimize the efficiency and noise level of the device. As a result of this feature and improvements in device fabrication, a power sensitivity of 3×10−23W/Hz is reached. We confirm the high performance of the device by measuring single-spin microwave fluorescence.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 25, 044064– Published 23 April, 2026
  • Received 13 January 2025
  • Revised 29 July 2025
  • Accepted 10 November 2025
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Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.

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