Performance optimization of cascaded traveling wave Josephson parametric amplifiers
Abstract
Traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) based on Josephson metamaterials provide broadband gain with near-quantum-limited added noise. Whereas long nonlinear metamaterial devices can deliver high gain, short arrays suffer less from dissipation, pump depletion, and internal standing waves which can degrade noise performance. Here, we demonstrate a cascaded TWPA architecture that combines the advantages of both approaches by employing a short (736-element), low-dissipation Superconducting Nonlinear Asymmetric Inductive eLement (SNAIL)-based TWPA as the first amplification stage, followed by a conventional long (1632-element) TWPA that provides additional gain. The resulting amplifier cascade achieves nearly 30 dB of total gain over a tunable bandwidth of approximately 1 GHz while maintaining added noise close to the quantum limit. Our results establish a cascade of TWPAs as a practical approach for high-gain, broadband, quantum amplification with applications in quantum information processing, multi-mode entanglement, and quantum sensing applications at microwave frequencies.
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BibTeX
@misc{lilja2026performance,
title = {{Performance optimization of cascaded traveling wave Josephson parametric amplifiers}},
author = {Ilari Lilja and Ekaterina Mukhanova and Stanislav Khaldeev and Ilya Golokolenov and Visa Vesterinen and Pertti Hakonen},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.23126},
eprint = {2609.23126},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.23126},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Performance optimization of cascaded traveling wave Josephson parametric amplifiers
AU - Ilari Lilja
AU - Ekaterina Mukhanova
AU - Stanislav Khaldeev
AU - Ilya Golokolenov
AU - Visa Vesterinen
AU - Pertti Hakonen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/19
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.23126
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.23126
AB - Traveling-wave parametric amplifiers (TWPAs) based on Josephson metamaterials provide broadband gain with near-quantum-limited added noise. Whereas long nonlinear metamaterial devices can deliver high gain, short arrays suffer less from dissipation, pump depletion, and internal standing waves which can degrade noise performance. Here, we demonstrate a cascaded TWPA architecture that combines the advantages of both approaches by employing a short (736-element), low-dissipation Superconducting Nonlinear Asymmetric Inductive eLement (SNAIL)-based TWPA as the first amplification stage, followed by a conventional long (1632-element) TWPA that provides additional gain. The resulting amplifier cascade achieves nearly 30 dB of total gain over a tunable bandwidth of approximately 1 GHz while maintaining added noise close to the quantum limit. Our results establish a cascade of TWPAs as a practical approach for high-gain, broadband, quantum amplification with applications in quantum information processing, multi-mode entanglement, and quantum sensing applications at microwave frequencies.
ER -