All-microwave manipulation of superconducting qubits with a fixed-frequency transmon coupler

Abstract: All-microwave control of fixed-frequency superconducting quantum computing circuits is advantageous for minimizing the noise channels and wiring costs. Here we introduce a swap interaction between two data transmons assisted by the third-order nonlinearity of a coupler transmon under a microwave drive. We model the interaction analytically and numerically and use it to implement an all-microwave controlled-Z gate. The gate based on the coupler-assisted swap transition maintains high drive efficiency and small residual interaction over a wide range of detuning between the data transmons.