Candidate source of flux noise in SQUIDs: adsorbed oxygen molecules
Abstract
A major obstacle to using SQUIDs as qubits is flux noise. We propose that the heretofore mysterious spins producing flux noise could be O2 molecules adsorbed on the surface. Using density functional theory calculations, we find that an O2 molecule adsorbed on an α-alumina surface has a magnetic moment of ~1.8 μB. When the spin is oriented perpendicular to the axis of the O-O bond, the barrier to spin rotations is about 10 mK. Monte Carlo simulations of ferromagnetically coupled, anisotropic XY spins on a square lattice find 1/f magnetization noise, consistent with flux noise in Al SQUIDs.
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