Strongly disordered TiN and NbTiN s-wave superconductors probed by microwave electrodynamics.

We probe the effects of strong disorder (2.4

Transfer of photonic crystal membranes to a transparent gel substrate.

We report a method of transferring 150 nm thick Al(0.35)Ga(0.65)As photonic crystal slabs to a transparent gel, without compromising their optical properties. We demonstrate successful transfer for membranes as large as ~ 425 × 425 µm(2). The transfer results in a 2.5% frequency red shift and increases the visibility of the resonances in reflection spectra. The avoided crossings between the modes show a subradiant mode with quality factors up to ~300. This suggests that the quality factor is only limited by the finite size of the crystal.

Enhanced coupling of plasmons in hole arrays with periodic dielectric antennas.

We compare the angle-dependent transmission spectra of a metal hole array with dielectric pillars in each hole with that of a conventional metal hole array. The pillars enhance the optical transmission as well as the interaction between surface plasmon modes. This results in an observed splitting Delta omega/omega as large as 6%, at normal incidence, for the modes on the pillar side of the array.

Asymmetry reversal in the reflection from a two-dimensional photonic crystal.

The measured, angle-dependent, reflection spectra of a two-dimensional GaAs photonic crystal consist of an asymmetric peak on top of an oscillating background. At large angles of incidence (>70 degrees), the asymmetry of the peak is observed to flip for p-polarized light. We explain the observed spectra with a Fano model that includes loss and interference between a resonant waveguide component and direct Fresnel reflection of the layered structure. We show that the reversal of the asymmetry of the line is due to a change in sign of the direct reflection at Brewster's angle.

High-contrast dispersive readout of a superconducting flux qubit using a nonlinear resonator.

We demonstrate high-contrast state detection of a superconducting flux qubit. Detection is realized by probing the microwave transmission of a nonlinear resonator, based on a SQUID. Depending on the driving strength of the resonator, the detector can be operated in the monostable or the bistable mode. The bistable operation combines high-sensitivity with intrinsic latching. The measured contrast of Rabi oscillations is as high as 87%; of the missing 13%, only 3% of the loss of contrast is unaccounted for. Experiments involving two consecutive detection pulses are consistent with preparation of the qubit state by the first measurement.