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Spatially Resolved Optical Responses of a Superconducting Nanowire Microwave Resonator

Rento Hirotsuru1,*, Hodaka Kurokawa2,*,†, Kazuyo Takaki3, Hirotaka Terai3, and Hideo Kosaka1,2,‡

  • *These authors contributed equally to this work.
  • †Contact author: kurokawa-hodaka-hm@ynu.ac.jp
  • ‡Contact author: kosaka-hideo-yp@ynu.ac.jp
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 086901 – Published 23 February, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/fnfl-xjrz

Abstract

Understanding the optical response of a superconducting microwave resonator is crucial for applications ranging from single-photon detection to quantum transduction between the microwave and optical domains. This topic is gaining significant attention for scaling up quantum computers. However, interactions between the pump light and superconducting resonators often induce unintended resonance frequency shifts and linewidth broadening. In this study, we measure the local optical response of a NbTiN nanowire resonator using a laser-scanning microwave spectroscopy system integrated with a dilution refrigerator. The optical response of the resonator correlates with the resonance modes and position, which we attribute to interactions between two-level systems (TLSs) and laser-induced phonons. These findings establish the TLS-phonon interactions as the dominant mechanism underlying laser-induced resonance variations, providing critical insights for the design and optimization of quantum transducers and superconducting single-photon detectors.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 086901– Published 23 February, 2026
  • Received 17 June 2025
  • Revised 18 November 2025
  • Accepted 23 December 2025
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