Strong Coupling of a Quantum Oscillator to a Flux Qubit at its Symmetry Point

Abstract

A flux qubit biased at its symmetry point shows a minimum in the energy splitting (the gap), providing protection against flux noise. We have fabricated a qubit whose gap can be tuned fast and have coupled this qubit strongly to an LC oscillator. We show full spectroscopy of the qubit-resonator system and generate vacuum Rabi oscillations. When the gap is made equal to the oscillator frequency $\nu_{osc}$ we find the strongest qubit-resonator coupling ($g/h\sim0.1\nu_{\rm osc}$). Here being at resonance coincides with the optimal coherence of the symmetry point. Significant further increase of the coupling is possible.