Population inversion through charge measurement using a superconducting single-electron transistor biased in the subgap regime

We show how population inversion (PI) occurs in a two-level system (TLS) while measuring its charge using a capacitively coupled superconducting single-electron transistor (SSET), biased in the subgap regime, where the current through the SSET is carried by different cycles involving tunneling of both Cooper pairs and quasiparticles. The PI is directly associated with the resonant nature of the Cooper-pair tunneling. We also show how the SSET may strongly relax the TLS, although there is negligible current flowing through the SSET, i.e. it is turned off. The calculation of the quantum back-action noise is based on a real-time Keldysh approach. We specifically discuss the case of a Cooper Pair Box qubit with the SSET capacitively coupled as read-out device.