Abstract:
KQCircuits is an open-source Python library developed by IQM for automating the design of superconducting quantum circuits. It uses the KLayout (https://www.klayout.de/) layout design program API. KQCircuits generates multi-layer 2-dimensional-geometry representing common structures in quantum processing units (QPU). It includes definitions of parametrized geometrical objects or “elements”, framework to easily define your own elements, framework to get geometry from the elements by setting values to parameters and a framework to assemble a full QPU design by combining many of the elements in different geometrical relations. Among other templates, are also structures to combine QPU designs to create optical mask layout and EBL patterns for fabrication of quantum circuits and export a set of files for a mask as needed for QPU fabrication. KQCircuits also provides a way to export elements and chips to be simulated by third-party FEM simulators such as Ansys and Elmer to extract physical features of the elements and chips such as capacitance, S-matrices and EPR.
In this one hour workshop we will have an overview of the features currently included in KQCircuits that could be useful for designing super-conducting devices. Starting with a brief installation guide, we will study some of the elements and toy example chips currently present in the KQCircuits library. Then we will delve into the python code used to implement such elements and chips, and study the best practices for implementing an element or chip of your own such that all appropriate features are sufficiently parametrized. If time permits, we will prepare an element for simulation export and extract some of its features based on the sweep of its geometrical parameters, so that we can parametrize the elements correctly in the chip based on the circuit we wish to implement. Finally, we will collect the chips in a wafer layout to export an optical mask file that we can send to fabrication.
Presenter bio:
Presenter is Pavel Smirnov, a software Engineer in IQM and the main developer of KQCircuits. Having previously worked part-time on telecommunication network management software and writing a Master's thesis on combinatorial optimization, Pavel set out to apply his software development skills at a promising local quantum startup. With no official background and training on physics research, it was exciting to gain this knowledge on the job through interesting and thoughtful conversations with coworkers for the past two years. With many hours spent on personal game development projects, it is very surprising how much of this knowledge can be applied into building a CAD software for designing super-conducting chips.
