12 March 2026
New preprint!
Doppler-induced tunable and shape-preserving frequency conversion of microwave wave packets
F. Ahrens, E. Bogoni, R. Mezzena, A. Vinante, N. Crescini, A. Irace, A. Giachero, G. Rastelli, I. Carusotto, F. Mantegazzini
We experimentally demonstrate for the first time a dynamic Doppler effect in a superconducting nonlinear transmission line, enabling frequency shifts of microwave pulses while preserving their temporal shape.
Unlike conventional approaches, our frequency-conversion technique does not rely on frequency mixing and, therefore, spurious mixing products are intrinsically avoided. Moreover, the frequency shift is amplitude-controlled instead of frequency-controlled.
6-9 October 2025
Workshop in Trento
Great success of the workshop we organise in Trento on Superconducting Devices for Quantum Optics and Quantum Simulations.
Colleagues and friends from all over the world joined the event, presenting their last results on superconducting experiments for microwave quantum optics and related areas.
1-6 June 2025
Wonderful conference in Les Houches!
From 1 June to 6 June 2025, the conference Microwave Amplifiers in the Quantum Regime took place in Les Houches. Worldwide experts on superconducting amplifiers met in the wonderful French Alps. and the atmosphere at the famous Les Houches School of Physics was perfect to foster very interesting discussions and debates.
It was a pleasure to present recent results of our group on new ways to use high kinetic inductance waveguides for frequency control of microwave pulses, by exploiting the physics of front-induced transitions.
A big thanks to the organisers!
1 May 2025
The SQD Research Unit is born!
Our research team has just became a new research unit. From 1 May 2025, the new SQD unit is part of the Centre for Sensors & Devices at FBK.
This important step paves the way for the future of our research group!
21 February & 12 March 2025
Two new INFN projects have kicked off!
Quantum technologies and Neutrino physics
In 2025, two new INFN have started and we have recently participated to the kick-off meetings, on 12 February and 12 March.
QUART&T - QUantum Architectures for Theory & Technology
Duration: 2025-2027
Goal: Development of a quantum architecture demonstrator, as a basis for experimental platforms to test theoretical models and phenomena of interest to INFN.
Coordinator: Andrea Giachero (INFN Milano-Bicocca)
Role of our group: Development and microfabrication of planar transmon qubits.
Holmes+
Goal: Direct calorimetric measurement of the effective electron neutrino mass using TESs implanted with Ho-163.
Coordinator: Angelo Nucciotti (INFN Milano-Bicocca)
Role of our group: Development of KICS (Kinetic Inductance Current Sensors) for multiplexed read-out.
17 December 2024
A new dilution fridge in our cryogenic lab
Christmas came early this year for our team... We have just unwrapped our new Bluefors fridge and we are super excited for the first cool down!
With this new equipment we are enhancing our cryogenic measurement capabilities.
We need mK temperatures to characterise the superconducting quantum devices that we are developing and microfabricating in our cleanrooms.
We are going to measure and characterise several types of superconducting devices, including parametric amplifiers, transmon qubits and high-kinetic-inductance circuits.
This Bluefors LD dry dilution cryostat reaches a base temperature below 10 mK in less than 24 hours and it provides a cooling powers of more than 15 μW at 20 mK and more than 450 μW at 100 mK.
Cool times ahead... stay tuned!
29 August 2024
Guest at the Wired Next Fest:
"Quanto manca al Quantum?"
The revolution of Quantum Computing and Quantum Technologies has been the central topic of the round table at the Wired Next Fest in Rovereto with Dr. Federica Mantegazzini (FBK) and Prof. Francesco Tafuri (University of Napoli), moderated by Adamà Faye, Wired adaptation.
We have discussed current activities, challenges and future perspectives, in the Italian and international landscapes. Watch the streaming online!
7 August 2024
We have realised the first qubit made in Italy.
In our labs we have produced the first qubit made in Italy - a transmon circuit based on overlap Al/AlOx/Al Josephson junctions.
The construction of the first superconducting qubit in Italy is a key achievement for our team, which will allow us to develop ever more advanced quantum circuits.
In Italy, many groups have been working with superconducting qubits, which are, however, produced abroad and ‘imported’ into Italian laboratories. Being able to make superconducting qubits in Italy is an important milestone and the first qubit manufactured at FBK is the first step in this direction. We now aim to further improve our technology and optimise the properties of the circuit, and then exploit the full potential of FBK cleanroom facilites that are suitable for large-scale microfabrication.
Check out some related articles:
Wired Italia (Italian)
FBK magazine (English)
Press Release - Province of Trento (Italian)
Corriere del Trentino (Italian)
CorCom (Italian)
1 September 2024
New preprint!
In collaboration with other colleagues in Trento, we have exploited one of our superconducting circuits to create a synthetic frequency lattice and we have observed Bloch dynamics. This work is now available on the arXiv:
Synthetic-lattice Bloch wave dynamics in a single-mode microwave resonator
F. Ahrens, N. Crescini, A. Irace, G. Rastelli, P. Falferi, A. Giachero, B. Margesin, R. Mezzena, A. Vinante, I. Carusotto, F. Mantegazzini
3 July 2024
The MiSS project has kicked off!
MiSS - Microwave Squeezing with Superconducting (meta)materials - is a Horizon Europe project coordinated by FBK.
The MiSS project targets transformative progress in the emerging field of distributed quantum sensing exploiting multi-mode microwave squeezing. The final goal is to realise a robust and scalable technology for microwave squeezing and generation of non-classical microwave radiation based on superconducting (meta)materials.
The kick-off meeting took place in Trento at Fondazione Bruno Kessler on 3-4 July, bringing together 21 physicists from Institut Néel CNRS, Aalto University, INRiM - Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica, Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Silent Waves and Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK).
It was truly great to meet in person and to have so inspiring scientific discussions! We had two intense days filled with high-level presentations, exciting conversations and genuine exchange.
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