Patents by Inventor David George Ferguson

David George Ferguson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11429887
    Abstract: One example includes a tunable current-mirror qubit. The qubit includes a plurality of flux tunable elements disposed in a circuit loop. A first portion of the flux tunable elements can be configured to receive a first input flux and a remaining portion of the flux tunable elements can be configured to receive a second input flux to control a mode of the tunable current-mirror qubit between a microwave excitation mode to facilitate excitation or quantum state manipulation of the tunable current-mirror qubit via a microwave input signal and a noise-protected mode to facilitate storage of the quantum state of the tunable current-mirror qubit. The qubit also includes at least one capacitor interconnecting nodes between respective pairs of the flux tunable elements to facilitate formation of Cooper-pair excitons in each of the microwave excitation mode and the noise-protected mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION, NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: David George Ferguson, Cheong Yiu Li, Jens Koch, Moe Shwan Khalil
  • Patent number: 10989767
    Abstract: One example includes a tunable current element. The element includes a first magnetic flux component that is configured to exhibit a bias flux in response to a first control current. The bias flux can decrease relative energy barriers between discrete energy states of the tunable current element. The element also includes a second magnetic flux component that is configured to exhibit a control flux in response to a second control current. The control flux can change a potential energy of the discrete energy states of the tunable current element to set an energy state of the tunable current element to one of the discrete energy states, such that the magnetic flux component is configured to generate a hysteretic current that provides a magnetic flux at an amplitude corresponding to the energy state of the tunable current element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: David George Ferguson, Sergey S. Novikov, Anthony Joseph Przybysz, Robert T. Hinkey, Aaron A. Pesetski, Kenneth M. Zick
  • Publication number: 20210033683
    Abstract: One example includes a tunable current element. The element includes a first magnetic flux component that is configured to exhibit a bias flux in response to a first control current. The bias flux can decrease relative energy barriers between discrete energy states of the tunable current element. The element also includes a second magnetic flux component that is configured to exhibit a control flux in response to a second control current. The control flux can change a potential energy of the discrete energy states of the tunable current element to set an energy state of the tunable current element to one of the discrete energy states, such that the magnetic flux component is configured to generate a hysteretic current that provides a magnetic flux at an amplitude corresponding to the energy state of the tunable current element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2020
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON, SERGEY S. NOVIKOV, ANTHONY JOSEPH PRZYBYSZ, ROBERT T. HINKEY, AARON A. PESETSKI, KENNETH M. ZICK
  • Patent number: 10884033
    Abstract: One example includes a current device readout system. The system includes a tunable resonator having a resonant frequency that is associated with a current state of a current device. The tunable resonator can be configured to receive a tone signal having a predetermined frequency from a feedline to determine the current state of the current device. The system also includes an isolation device inductively interconnecting the tunable resonator and the current device. The isolation device can be tunable to isolate the current device in a first state and to facilitate the determination of the current state of the current device in a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony Joseph Przybysz, David George Ferguson, Moe S. Khalil
  • Patent number: 10852366
    Abstract: One example includes a magnetic flux source system that includes a tunable current element. The tunable current element includes a SQUID inductively coupled to a first control line that conducts a first control current that induces a bias flux in the SQUID to decrease relative energy barriers between discrete energy states of the tunable current element. The system also includes an inductor in a series loop with the SQUID and inductively coupled to a second control line that conducts a second control current that induces a control flux in the series loop to change a potential energy of the discrete energy states of the tunable current element to set an energy state of the tunable current element to one of the discrete energy states to generate a current that provides a magnetic flux at an amplitude corresponding to the energy state of the at least one tunable current element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: David George Ferguson, Sergey S. Novikov, Anthony Joseph Przybysz, Robert T. Hinkey, Aaron A. Pesetski, Kenneth M. Zick
  • Publication number: 20200279186
    Abstract: One example includes a tunable current-mirror qubit. The qubit includes a plurality of flux tunable elements disposed in a circuit loop. A first portion of the flux tunable elements can be configured to receive a first input flux and a remaining portion of the flux tunable elements can be configured to receive a second input flux to control a mode of the tunable current-mirror qubit between a microwave excitation mode to facilitate excitation or quantum state manipulation of the tunable current-mirror qubit via a microwave input signal and a noise-protected mode to facilitate storage of the quantum state of the tunable current-mirror qubit. The qubit also includes at least one capacitor interconnecting nodes between respective pairs of the flux tunable elements to facilitate formation of Cooper-pair excitons in each of the microwave excitation mode and the noise-protected mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 3, 2020
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON, CHEONG YIU LI, JENS KOCH, MOE SHWAN KHALIL
  • Publication number: 20200264213
    Abstract: One example includes a current device readout system. The system includes a tunable resonator having a resonant frequency that is associated with a current state of a current device. The tunable resonator can be configured to receive a tone signal having a predetermined frequency from a feedline to determine the current state of the current device. The system also includes an isolation device inductively interconnecting the tunable resonator and the current device. The isolation device can be tunable to isolate the current device in a first state and to facilitate the determination of the current state of the current device in a second state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony Joseph Przybysz, David George Ferguson, Moe S. Khalil
  • Patent number: 10749095
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a ZZZ coupler. A first tunable coupler is coupled to the first qubit and tunable via a first control signal. A second tunable coupler is coupled to the first tunable coupler to direct a flux of the first qubit into a tuning loop of the second tunable coupler, such that when a first coupling strength associated with the first tunable coupler is non-zero, a second coupling strength, associated with the second tunable coupler, is a function of a second control signal applied to the second tunable coupler and a state of the first qubit. The second qubit and the third qubit are coupled to one another through the second tunable coupler, such that, when the second coupling strength is non-zero it is energetically favorable for the states of the first and second qubits to assume a specific relationship with respect to the Z-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: David George Ferguson, Anthony Joseph Przybysz, Joel D. Strand
  • Patent number: 10650323
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for coupling two flux qubits. A quantum circuit assembly includes a first flux qubit, having at least two potential energy minima, and a second flux qubit, having at least two potential energy minima. A system formed by the first and second qubits has at least four potential energy minima prior to coupling, each of the four potential energy minima containing at least one eigenstate of a system comprising the first flux qubit and the second flux qubit. A coupler creates a first tunneling path between a first potential energy minimum of the system and a second potential energy minimum of the system, and a second tunneling path between a third potential energy minimum of the system and a fourth potential energy minimum of the system. The coupler creates the first and second tunneling paths between potential energy minima representing states of equal bit parity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan J. Epstein, David George Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20200091396
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a ZZZ coupler. A first tunable coupler is coupled to the first qubit and tunable via a first control signal. A second tunable coupler is coupled to the first tunable coupler to direct a flux of the first qubit into a tuning loop of the second tunable coupler, such that when a first coupling strength associated with the first tunable coupler is non-zero, a second coupling strength, associated with the second tunable coupler, is a function of a second control signal applied to the second tunable coupler and a state of the first qubit. The second qubit and the third qubit are coupled to one another through the second tunable coupler, such that, when the second coupling strength is non-zero it is energetically favorable for the states of the first and second qubits to assume a specific relationship with respect to the Z-axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON, ANTHONY JOSEPH PRZYBYSZ, JOEL D. STRAND
  • Patent number: 10546993
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a ZZZ coupler. A first tunable coupler is coupled to the first qubit and tunable via a first control signal. A second tunable coupler is coupled to the first tunable coupler to direct a flux of the first qubit into a tuning loop of the second tunable coupler, such that when a first coupling strength associated with the first tunable coupler is non-zero, a second coupling strength, associated with the second tunable coupler, is a function of a second control signal applied to the second tunable coupler and a state of the first qubit. The second qubit and the third qubit are coupled to one another through the second tunable coupler, such that, when the second coupling strength is non-zero it is energetically favorable for the states of the first and second qubits to assume a specific relationship with respect to the Z-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: David George Ferguson, Anthony Joseph Przybysz, Joel D. Strand
  • Patent number: 10540603
    Abstract: Real-time reconfigurability of quantum object connectivity can be provided with one or more quantum routers that can each be configured as either or both of a single-pole double-throw switch and a cross-point switch. The quantum router includes variable-inductance coupling elements in RF-SQUIDs having inductors transformer-coupled to two control flux lines, one providing a static current and the other providing a dynamic current, the direction of which can be toggled to couple or uncouple quantum objects, such as qubits, based on the dynamic current direction to provide reconfigurable quantum routing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ofer Naaman, Zachary Kyle Keane, Micah John Atman Stoutimore, David George Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20190391214
    Abstract: One example includes a magnetic flux source system that includes a tunable current element. The tunable current element includes a SQUID inductively coupled to a first control line that conducts a first control current that induces a bias flux in the SQUID to decrease relative energy barriers between discrete energy states of the tunable current element. The system also includes an inductor in a series loop with the SQUID and inductively coupled to a second control line that conducts a second control current that induces a control flux in the series loop to change a potential energy of the discrete energy states of the tunable current element to set an energy state of the tunable current element to one of the discrete energy states to generate a current that provides a magnetic flux at an amplitude corresponding to the energy state of the at least one tunable current element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2018
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON, SERGEY S. NOVIKOV, ANTHONY JOSEPH PRZYBYSZ, ROBERT T. HINKEY, AARON A. PESETSKI, KENNETH M. ZICK
  • Publication number: 20190385088
    Abstract: Real-time reconfigurability of quantum object connectivity can be provided with one or more quantum routers that can each be configured as either or both of a single-pole double-throw switch and a cross-point switch. The quantum router includes variable-inductance coupling elements in RF-SQUIDs having inductors transformer-coupled to two control flux lines, one providing a static current and the other providing a dynamic current, the direction of which can be toggled to couple or uncouple quantum objects, such as qubits, based on the dynamic current direction to provide reconfigurable quantum routing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Publication date: December 19, 2019
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: OFER NAAMAN, ZACHARY KYLE KEANE, MICAH JOHN ATMAN STOUTIMORE, DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON
  • Patent number: 10491178
    Abstract: One example includes a parametric amplifier system. The system includes an input/output (I/O) transmission line to propagate a signal tone. The system also includes a non-linearity circuit comprising at least one Josephson junction to provide at least one inductive path of the signal tone in parallel with the at least one Josephson junction. The system further includes an impedance matching network coupled to the I/O transmission line to provide impedance matching of the tone signal between the I/O transmission line and the non-linearity element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ofer Naaman, David George Ferguson
  • Patent number: 10353844
    Abstract: A tunable bus-mediated coupling system is provided that includes a first input port coupled to a first end of a variable inductance coupling element through a first resonator and a second input port coupled to a second end of the variable inductance coupling element through a second resonator. The first input port is configured to be coupled to a first qubit, and the second output port is configured to be coupled to a second qubit. A controller is configured to control the inductance of the variable inductance coupling element between a low inductance state to provide strong coupling between the first qubit and the second qubit and a high inductance state to provide isolation between the first qubit and the second qubit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ofer Naaman, Zachary Kyle Keane, Micah John Atman Stoutimore, David George Ferguson
  • Publication number: 20190156237
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for coupling two flux qubits. A quantum circuit assembly includes a first flux qubit, having at least two potential energy minima, and a second flux qubit, having at least two potential energy minima. A system formed by the first and second qubits has at least four potential energy minima prior to coupling, each of the four potential energy minima containing at least one eigenstate of a system comprising the first flux qubit and the second flux qubit. A coupler creates a first tunneling path between a first potential energy minimum of the system and a second potential energy minimum of the system, and a second tunneling path between a third potential energy minimum of the system and a fourth potential energy minimum of the system. The coupler creates the first and second tunneling paths between potential energy minima representing states of equal bit parity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: RYAN J. EPSTEIN, DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON
  • Publication number: 20190131944
    Abstract: One example includes a parametric amplifier system. The system includes an input/output (I/O) transmission line to propagate a signal tone. The system also includes a non-linearity circuit comprising at least one Josephson junction to provide at least one inductive path of the signal tone in parallel with the at least one Josephson junction. The system further includes an impedance matching network coupled to the I/O transmission line to provide impedance matching of the tone signal between the I/O transmission line and the non-linearity element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2017
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: OFER NAAMAN, DAVID GEORGE FERGUSON
  • Patent number: 10262727
    Abstract: One example includes a flux qubit readout circuit. The circuit includes a gradiometric SQUID that is configured to inductively couple with a gradiometric flux qubit to modify flux associated with the gradiometric superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) based on a flux state of the flux qubit. The circuit also includes a current source configured to provide a readout current through the gradiometric SQUID during a state readout operation to determine the flux state of the gradiometric flux qubit at a readout node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Anthony Joseph Przybysz, David George Ferguson
  • Patent number: 10255557
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for coupling two flux qubits. A quantum circuit assembly includes a first flux qubit, having at least two potential energy minima, and a second flux qubit, having at least two potential energy minima. A system formed by the first and second qubits has at least four potential energy minima prior to coupling, each of the four potential energy minima containing at least one eigenstate of a system comprising the first flux qubit and the second flux qubit. A coupler creates a first tunneling path between a first potential energy minimum of the system and a second potential energy minimum of the system, and a second tunneling path between a third potential energy minimum of the system and a fourth potential energy minimum of the system. The coupler creates the first and second tunneling paths between potential energy minima representing states of equal bit parity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: NORTHROP GRUMMAN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryan J. Epstein, David George Ferguson