Quantum efficiency of a microwave photon detector based on a double quantum dot

Clement H. Wong, Maxim G. Vavilov

Published 2015-12-22Version 1

Motivated by recent interest in implementing circuit quantum electrodynamics with semiconducting quantum dots, we consider a double quantum dot (DQD) capacitively coupled to a superconducting cavity that is driven by the microwave field of a superconducting transmission line. We analyze the DQD current response using input-output theory and show that the cavity-coupled DQD is a sensitive microwave single photon detector with quantum efficiency up to $80$\% for currently available experimental parameters of DQD dissipation and coupling. We determine the parameter regime for which incident photons is completely absorbed and very high ($\gtrsim$ 98\%) efficiency can be achieved.