Optimizing single microwave-photon detection: Input-Output theory

摘要

High fidelity microwave photon counting is an important tool for variousareas from background radiation analysis in astronomy to the implementation ofcircuit QED architectures for the realization of a scalable quantum informationprocessor. In this work we describe a microwave photon counter coupled to asemi-infinite transmission line. We employ input-output theory to examine acontinuously driven transmission line as well as traveling photon wave packets.Using analytic and numerical methods, we calculate the conditions on the systemparameters necessary to optimize measurement and achieve high detectionefficiency.