Superconducting devices and circuits have several unparalleled advantages over their semiconducting counterparts, such as ultra-high sensitivity, high operation speed, low loss, and wide band. They play an increasingly important role in both fundamental and applied science research including astronomical observations, quantum computing and communication, human health, and natural resource explorations etc. With the support of the advanced fabrication facility of the Center for Excellence in Superconducting Electronics (CENSE), Chinese academy of sciences, we are building a world-leading superconducting devices R&D platform dedicated to the development of superconducting detectors and sensors, superconducting digital circuits, superconducting Q-bits and other emerging superconducting electronic techniques.

l  Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPD)

Our mission is to develop high performance SNSPD devices and to understand photon detection and noise mechanism of this device. The performance of the SNSPD devices and systems has reached the top level.

In collaboration with the universities and institutes such as University of Science and Technology of China, SNSPDs have been successfully applied into various fields, such as quantum key distribution, quantum simulation, quantum fingerprinting, quantum teleportation, satellite laser ranging and quantum source characterization. A few pioneer experiments were demonstrated, such as the quantum key distribution over 400 km. Besides, a startup company has been founded to commercialize the SNSPD products.

l  Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID)

Our research involves device design, fabrication process and device characterization of low temperature DC/RF SQUID. We have developed high performance SQUID magnetometer and highly balanced planar magnetic gradiometer for sensitive magnetic flux measurement. We are also developing nano-SQUID probes for single electron spin detection.

SQUID can detect the gravity field, magnetic field and electromagnetic field for its ultra-high sensitivity (2-3 order higher than other techniques). We developed the airborne full tensor magnetic gradient system and applied it to the TEM (Transient Electromagnetic Method) system. The main characteristic of our system approaches the leading level of the world. We also set up 36-channel magnetocardiography (MCG) system and 4-channel fMCG system in MSR first time in China and have installed three 4-channel MCG systems in the clinical research center and hospitals.

l  Superconducting large scale integrated circuits

Our mission is to develop key technologies for Nb- and/or NbN-based superconducting large scale integrated circuits including design infrastructure, fabrication process, measurement apparatus and system integration. With these technologies, we wish to demonstrate single-flux-quantum (SFQ) based low-power, ultra-high speed superconducting integrated circuits targeted for future applications including digital computing, quantum adiabatic computing, high-speed digital-analog converter and low-temperature digital readout.

The superconducting quantum devices and circuits department has 21 permanent research staffs (6 full professors, 9 associated professors and 6 engineers), including two selected into the Hundred-Talent Program of Chinese academy of sciences and one selected into the recruitment program of global experts (the Thousand Talents Plan). There are approximately 30 temporary research staff and graduated students working in the department.