pith. sign in

arxiv: 2505.21614 · v2 · submitted 2025-05-27 · 🪐 quant-ph

Probing Time Reversal Symmetry Breaking using a Nonlinear Superconducting Ring Resonator

Pith reviewed 2026-05-19 12:28 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification 🪐 quant-ph
keywords time-reversal symmetry breakingKerr nonlinearitysuperconducting ring resonatorquantum sensingdriven-dissipative modelbifurcation thresholdcircuit electrodynamics
0
0 comments X

The pith

A nonlinear superconducting ring resonator enhances probing of time-reversal symmetry breaking through Kerr interactions up-converting magnetic effects.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper proposes using a multimode superconducting ring resonator to sensitively probe time-reversal symmetry breaking in quantum materials. Nonlinear cross-interactions between modes act as built-in amplifiers. A driven-dissipative model explores the dynamics near the bifurcation threshold, showing that photon numbers can reach a symmetric state broken by weak TRSB. Full quantum analysis demonstrates that Kerr nonlinearities up-convert the magnetic effects of the hybrid system for enhanced detection. This highlights superconducting resonators as tools for probing exotic matter phases.

Core claim

Through a driven-dissipative analysis of a two-mode superconducting circuit with self- and cross-Kerr nonlinearities near the bifurcation threshold, the system can be driven into a symmetric photon configuration despite differing initial conditions, which is then broken by even weak TRSB. The Kerr interactions up-convert the magnetic effects, enhancing the probing capability.

What carries the argument

Kerr-nonlinear cross-interactions in the multimode ring resonator that amplify TRSB signals by up-converting magnetic effects from the material.

If this is right

  • Weak TRSB breaks the symmetric photon configuration in the resonator.
  • Optimal parameter regimes can be mapped for effective sensing.
  • The nonlinear resonator functions as a built-in amplifier for material signals.
  • The method applies superconducting devices to probe exotic states outside quantum computing.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

  • This approach might integrate with other circuit QED setups for combined sensing and processing.
  • Testing with specific materials exhibiting TRSB could validate the up-conversion effect.
  • The bifurcation dynamics could inspire similar nonlinear probes for other symmetry violations.

Load-bearing premise

The driven-dissipative model near the bifurcation threshold accurately captures the breaking of symmetric photon configurations by weak TRSB without major effects from decoherence or losses.

What would settle it

Direct measurement of photon number asymmetry in the two modes when weak TRSB is introduced in the nonlinear regime near bifurcation.

Figures

Figures reproduced from arXiv: 2505.21614 by Amir Yacoby, Arpit Arora, Emily M. Been, Ioannis Petrides, Jonathan B. Curtis, Marie Wesson, Nicolas Dirnegger, Prineha Narang.

Figure 1
Figure 1. Figure 1: FIG. 1: (a) Schematic of a superconducting ring res [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p002_1.png] view at source ↗
Figure 2
Figure 2. Figure 2: FIG. 2: Long time dynamics of the driven-dissipative, [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p003_2.png] view at source ↗
Figure 3
Figure 3. Figure 3: FIG. 3: Parametric instabilities and TRSB sensitivity beyond the bifurcation threshold. (a,b) Multistable steady state [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p004_3.png] view at source ↗
Figure 4
Figure 4. Figure 4: FIG. 4: (a,c,e) Photon number probability, [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p005_4.png] view at source ↗
read the original abstract

Time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) has been central to detecting exotic phases of matter. Here, we leverage the circuit electrodynamics capabilities of superconducting devices to propose a novel scheme based on a multimode superconducting ring resonator for sensitive probing of TRSB in quantum materials. A ring resonator enables nonlinear cross-interactions between the modes which act as an built-in amplifiers to be harnessed for enhanced sensing. Using a driven-dissipative model, we explore the nonlinear dynamics of a two-mode superconducting circuit with self- and cross-Kerr nonlinearities under conditions near the bifurcation threshold. By mapping the optimal parameter regimes, we show that even when the photon occupation numbers are subjected to different initial conditions, they can be driven into a symmetric configuration which is broken even with weak TRSB. Through full quantum analysis we demonstrate that the Kerr-nonlinear interactions up-convert the magnetic effects of material-resonator hybrid system, enhancing the probing of TRSB. Our findings highlight the utility of superconducting microwave resonators outside of quantum information processing, as a tool for probing exotic states of matter.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Referee Report

1 major / 2 minor

Summary. The manuscript proposes using a multimode superconducting ring resonator with self- and cross-Kerr nonlinearities to probe time-reversal symmetry breaking (TRSB) in quantum materials. Employing a driven-dissipative model of a two-mode circuit near the bifurcation threshold, it claims that photon occupation numbers under different initial conditions can be driven into a symmetric configuration that is broken by weak TRSB, with the nonlinear interactions up-converting magnetic effects from the material-resonator hybrid system to enhance sensitivity.

Significance. If the results hold, the work could provide a new approach to detecting exotic phases of matter by exploiting nonlinear dynamics in superconducting circuits as built-in amplifiers for weak symmetry-breaking signals. This extends circuit electrodynamics applications beyond quantum information to sensitive material probes, potentially offering advantages in regimes where linear methods lack sufficient sensitivity.

major comments (1)
  1. Abstract: The central claims rest on a 'full quantum analysis' demonstrating up-conversion of magnetic effects and symmetry breaking under weak TRSB near the bifurcation threshold, yet the manuscript supplies only the abstract with no derivations, model equations, numerical results, error analysis, or parameter regimes. This prevents verification of whether the driven-dissipative two-mode model accurately isolates TRSB effects from decoherence or losses.
minor comments (2)
  1. Abstract: The phrasing 'an built-in amplifiers' contains a grammatical error and should be corrected to 'built-in amplifiers' for clarity.
  2. Abstract: The description of photon numbers being 'subjected to different initial conditions' and then 'driven into a symmetric configuration which is broken even with weak TRSB' is vague; explicit mapping to the two-mode Hamiltonian or bifurcation condition would improve readability.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

1 responses · 0 unresolved

We thank the referee for their careful reading and constructive feedback on our manuscript. We address the major comment below and agree that additional details are required for verification.

read point-by-point responses
  1. Referee: Abstract: The central claims rest on a 'full quantum analysis' demonstrating up-conversion of magnetic effects and symmetry breaking under weak TRSB near the bifurcation threshold, yet the manuscript supplies only the abstract with no derivations, model equations, numerical results, error analysis, or parameter regimes. This prevents verification of whether the driven-dissipative two-mode model accurately isolates TRSB effects from decoherence or losses.

    Authors: We acknowledge the validity of this observation. The text provided in the current manuscript is limited to the abstract and does not contain the explicit model equations, derivations, numerical results, or parameter details. To resolve this, we will revise the manuscript by adding a dedicated methods and results section that presents the full driven-dissipative two-mode Hamiltonian with self- and cross-Kerr terms, the corresponding master equation, numerical simulations demonstrating symmetric photon configurations and their breaking under weak TRSB near the bifurcation threshold, the relevant parameter regimes, and a discussion of how the nonlinear interactions up-convert the magnetic effects while distinguishing TRSB signals from decoherence and losses. Error analysis and checks for numerical convergence will also be included to support the full quantum analysis. revision: yes

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

No significant circularity detected from available abstract

full rationale

The abstract describes a proposal leveraging standard driven-dissipative models and Kerr nonlinearities in a multimode superconducting ring resonator to probe TRSB near bifurcation thresholds. It claims that photon configurations can be driven symmetric and broken by weak TRSB, with Kerr interactions up-converting magnetic effects via full quantum analysis. No equations, parameter fits, self-citations, or derivation steps are present in the provided text that reduce any prediction to its inputs by construction. The approach relies on established circuit QED techniques without evident self-definitional or fitted-input reductions, making the central claim self-contained against external benchmarks.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

0 free parameters · 0 axioms · 0 invented entities

Abstract-only review yields no explicit free parameters, axioms, or invented entities; analysis assumes standard circuit QED models without additional detail.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.0 · 5719 in / 1094 out tokens · 48361 ms · 2026-05-19T12:28:02.380262+00:00 · methodology

discussion (0)

Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.

Lean theorems connected to this paper

Citations machine-checked in the Pith Canon. Every link opens the source theorem in the public Lean library.

  • IndisputableMonolith/Cost/FunctionalEquation.lean washburn_uniqueness_aczel unclear
    ?
    unclear

    Relation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.

    Using a driven-dissipative model, we explore the nonlinear dynamics of a two-mode superconducting circuit with self- and cross-Kerr nonlinearities under conditions near the bifurcation threshold... the presence of cross-Kerr interactions can collapse the steady state into symmetric photonic configurations. The symmetry collapse... is lifted even in the presence of a small TRSB perturbation

  • IndisputableMonolith/Foundation/BranchSelection.lean branch_selection unclear
    ?
    unclear

    Relation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.

    When V ≠ 0, these branches hybridize due to the symmetric collapse mechanism... new asymmetric steady-state branches emerge that are absent in the symmetric case

What do these tags mean?
matches
The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
supports
The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
extends
The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
uses
The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
contradicts
The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
unclear
Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.

Reference graph

Works this paper leans on

54 extracted references · 54 canonical work pages · 1 internal anchor

  1. [1]

    For Im[J] = 0, see Fig

    for details on the definition of PDF used in this work. For Im[J] = 0, see Fig. 4a,b the system resides in a sym- metric configuration. Interestingly, we find stark split inP i(n) and PDF forV= 0.1 (panels e,f) compared toV= 0 (panels c,d). This behavior reflects the emer- gence of interaction-stabilized metastable manifolds: the nonlinear termV n anb ene...

  2. [2]

    Nagaosa, J

    N. Nagaosa, J. Sinova, S. Onoda, A. H. MacDonald, and N. P. Ong, Anomalous hall effect, Reviews of modern physics82, 1539 (2010)

  3. [3]

    C. L. Kane and E. J. Mele, Z 2 topological order and the quantum spin hall effect, Physical review letters95, 146802 (2005)

  4. [4]

    Petrides and O

    I. Petrides and O. Zilberberg, Semiclassical treatment of spinor topological effects in driven inhomogeneous insu- lators under external electromagnetic fields, Phys. Rev. B106, 165130 (2022)

  5. [5]

    Machida, S

    Y. Machida, S. Nakatsuji, S. Onoda, T. Tayama, and T. Sakakibara, Time-reversal symmetry breaking and spontaneous hall effect without magnetic dipole order, Nature463, 210 (2010)

  6. [6]

    A. L. Sharpe, E. J. Fox, A. W. Barnard, J. Finney, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, M. A. Kastner, and D. Goldhaber-Gordon, Emergent ferromagnetism near three-quarters filling in twisted bilayer graphene, Science 365, 605 (2019)

  7. [7]

    Serlin, C

    M. Serlin, C. L. Tschirhart, H. Polshyn, Y. Zhang, J. Zhu, K. Watanabe, T. Taniguchi, L. Balents, and A. F. Young, Intrinsic quantized anomalous hall effect in a moir´ e het- erostructure, Science367, 900 (2020)

  8. [8]

    J. B. Curtis, N. R. Poniatowski, A. Yacoby, and P. Narang, Proximity-induced collective modes in an unconventional superconductor heterostructure, Physical Review B106, 064508 (2022)

  9. [9]

    Kallin and J

    C. Kallin and J. Berlinsky, Chiral superconductors, Re- ports on Progress in Physics79, 054502 (2016)

  10. [10]

    Read and D

    N. Read and D. Green, Paired states of fermions in two dimensions with breaking of parity and time-reversal symmetries and the fractional quantum hall effect, Phys- ical Review B61, 10267 (2000)

  11. [11]

    S. K. Ghosh, M. Smidman, T. Shang, J. F. Annett, A. D. Hillier, J. Quintanilla, and H. Yuan, Recent progress on superconductors with time-reversal symmetry breaking, Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter33, 033001 (2020)

  12. [12]

    Nagaosa and Y

    N. Nagaosa and Y. Yanase, Nonreciprocal transport and optical phenomena in quantum materials, Annual Review of Condensed Matter Physics15, 63 (2024)

  13. [13]

    Bøttcher, N

    C. Bøttcher, N. Poniatowski, A. Grankin, M. Wes- son, Z. Yan, U. Vool, V. Galitski, and A. Yacoby, Cir- cuit quantum electrodynamics detection of induced two- fold anisotropic pairing in a hybrid superconductor– ferromagnet bilayer, Nature Physics20, 1609 (2024)

  14. [14]

    T. Arp, O. Sheekey, H. Zhou, C. Tschirhart, C. L. Patter- son, H. Yoo, L. Holleis, E. Redekop, G. Babikyan, T. Xie, et al., Intervalley coherence and intrinsic spin–orbit cou- pling in rhombohedral trilayer graphene, Nature Physics 20, 1413 (2024)

  15. [15]

    Aspelmeyer, T

    M. Aspelmeyer, T. J. Kippenberg, and F. Marquardt, Cavity optomechanics, Reviev of Modern Physics86 (2014)

  16. [16]

    Blais, A

    A. Blais, A. L. Grimsmo, S. M. Girvin, and A. Wall- raff, Circuit quantum electrodynamics, Review of Mod- ern Physics93(2021)

  17. [17]

    El-Ganainy, K

    R. El-Ganainy, K. G. Makris, M. Khajavikhan, Z. H. Musslimani, S. Rotter, and D. N. Christodoulides, Non- hermitian physics and pt symmetry, Nature Physics14, 11 (2018)

  18. [18]

    Fitzpatrick, N

    M. Fitzpatrick, N. M. Sundaresan, A. C. Li, J. Koch, and A. A. Houck, Observation of a dissipative phase tran- sition in a one-dimensional circuit qed lattice, Physical Review X7, 011016 (2017)

  19. [19]

    N. Ofek, A. Petrenko, R. Heeres, P. Reinhold, Z. Leghtas, B. Vlastakis, Y. Liu, L. Frunzio, S. M. Girvin, L. Jiang, et al., Extending the lifetime of a quantum bit with error correction in superconducting circuits, Nature536, 441 (2016)

  20. [20]

    Leghtas, S

    Z. Leghtas, S. Touzard, I. M. Pop, A. P. A. Kou, B. Vlas- taki and, K. M. Sliwa, A. Narla, S. Shankar, M. R. M. J. Hatridge, L. Frunzio, R. J. Schoelkopf, M. Mir- rahimi, and M. H. Devoret, Confining the state of light to a quantum manifold by engineered two-photon loss, Science347, 853 (2015)

  21. [21]

    P. Zhao, Z. Jin, P. Xu, X. Tan, H. Yu, and Y. Yu, Two-photon driven kerr resonator for quantum anneal- ing with three-dimensional circuit qed, arXiv preprint arXiv:1712.03613 (2017)

  22. [22]

    Iyama, T

    D. Iyama, T. Kamiya, S. Fujii, H. Mukai, Y. Zhou, T. Na- gase, A. Tomonaga, R. Wang, J.-J. Xue, S. Watabe, et al., Observation and manipulation of quantum inter- ference in a superconducting kerr parametric oscillator, Nature communications15, 86 (2024)

  23. [23]

    Langford and G

    N. Langford and G. Steele, Tuneable hopping and nonlin- ear cross-kerr interactions in a high-coherence supercon- ducting circuit, npj Quantum Information4, 38 (2018)

  24. [24]

    Wang, F.-M

    C. Wang, F.-M. Liu, H. Chen, Y.-F. Du, C. Ying, J.- W. Wang, Y.-H. Huo, C.-Z. Peng, X. Zhu, M.-C. Chen, et al., 99.9%-fidelity in measuring a superconducting 8 qubit, arXiv preprint arXiv:2412.13849 (2024)

  25. [25]

    Chapple, O

    A. Chapple, O. Benhayoune-Khadraoui, S. Richer, and A. Blais, Balanced cross-kerr coupling for su- perconducting qubit readout (2025), arXiv preprint arXiv:2501.09010

  26. [26]

    T. J. K. et al., Microresonator-based optical frequency combs, Science332, 555 (2011)

  27. [27]

    Del’Haye, A

    P. Del’Haye, A. Schliesser, O. Arcizet, T. Wilken, R. Holzwarth, and T. J. Kippenberg, Optical frequency comb generation from a monolithic microresonator, Na- ture450, 1214 (2007)

  28. [28]

    S. Weis, R. Riviere, S. Deleglise, E. Gavartin, O. Arcizet, A. Schliesser, and T. Kippenber, Optomechanically in- duced transparency, Science330(2010)

  29. [29]

    Razzari, D

    L. Razzari, D. Duchesne, M. Ferrera, R. Morandotti, S. Chu, B. E. Little, and D. J. Moss, Cmos-compatible in- tegrated optical hyper-parametric oscillator, Nature Pho- tonics4, 41 (2010)

  30. [30]

    G. P. et al., Lithium niobate on insulator (lnoi) for micro- photonicdevices, Laser Photonics Rev.6, 488 (2012)

  31. [31]

    B. Cao, K. W. Mahmud, and M. Hafezi, Two coupled nonlinear cavities in a driven-dissipative environment, Physical Review A94(2016)

  32. [32]

    Drummond and D

    P. Drummond and D. Walls, Quantum theory of optical bistability. i. nonlinear polarisability model, J. Phys. A 13(1980)

  33. [33]

    Yurke and E

    B. Yurke and E. Buks, Performance of cavity-parametric amplifiers, employing kerr nonlinearities, in the presence of two-photon loss, Journal of Lightwave Technology24, 5054 (2005)

  34. [34]

    G. O. L.Hill and P. Del’Haye, Multi-stage spontaneous symmetry breaking of light in kerr ring resonators, Na- ture Communications6(2023)

  35. [35]

    Zhang, A

    X. Zhang, A. Galda, X. Han, D. Jin, and V. Vinokur, Broadband nonreciprocity enabled by strong coupling of magnons and microwave photons, Physical Review Ap- plied13, 044039 (2020)

  36. [36]

    See Supplemental Material athttps://link.aps.org/ doi/10.1103/hxgh-d9scfor more details on the full Hamiltonian derivation, analysis on the stability of the device and subseqeuent stability matrix, additional plots for steady state analysis for different parameter regimes, additional quantum analysis plots of hysteresis plots for different values of V and...

  37. [37]

    Kounalakis, C

    M. Kounalakis, C. Dickel, A. Bruno, N. Langford, and G. Steele, Tuneable hopping and nonlinear cross-kerr in- teractions in a high-coherence superconducting circuit, npj Quantum Information4(2018)

  38. [38]

    H. A. Haus and W. Huang, Coupled-mode theory, Pro- ceedings of the IEEE79, 1505 (2002)

  39. [39]

    Yariv, Coupled-mode theory for guided-wave optics, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics9, 919 (2003)

    A. Yariv, Coupled-mode theory for guided-wave optics, IEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics9, 919 (2003)

  40. [40]

    Rodriguez, A

    S. Rodriguez, A. Amo, I. Sagnes, L. Le Gratiet, E. Ga- lopin, A. Lemaˆ ıtre, and J. Bloch, Interaction-induced hopping phase in driven-dissipative coupled photonic mi- crocavities, Nature communications7, 11887 (2016)

  41. [41]

    Degen, F

    C. Degen, F. Reinhard, and P. Cappellaro, Quantum sensing, Review of Modern Physics89(2017)

  42. [42]

    Y. Lu, M. Kudra, T. Hillmann, J. Yang, H.-X. Li, F. Qui- jandr´ ıa, and P. Delsing, Resolving fock states near the kerr-free point of a superconducting resonator, npj Quan- tum Information9, 114 (2023)

  43. [43]

    Kirchmair, B

    G. Kirchmair, B. Vlastakis, Z. Leghtas, S. E. Nigg, H. Paik, E. Ginossar, M. Mirrahimi, L. Frunzio, S. M. Girvin, and R. J. Schoelkopf, Observation of quantum state collapse and revival due to the single-photon kerr effect, Nature495, 205 (2013)

  44. [44]

    Hillmann and F

    T. Hillmann and F. Quijandr´ ıa, Designing kerr interac- tions for quantum information processing via counter- rotating terms of asymmetric josephson-junction loops, Physical Review Applied17, 064018 (2022)

  45. [45]

    E. T. Holland, B. Vlastakis, R. W. Heeres, M. J. Reagor, U. Vool, Z. Leghtas, L. Frunzio, G. Kirchmair, M. H. Devoret, M. Mirrahimi,et al., Single-photon- resolved cross-kerr interaction for autonomous stabiliza- tion of photon-number states, Physical review letters 115, 180501 (2015)

  46. [46]

    T. Bera, M. Kandpal, G. S. Agarwal, and V. Singh, Single-photon induced instabilities in a cavity elec- tromechanical device, Nature Communications15, 7115 (2024)

  47. [47]

    S. J. Bosman, M. F. Gely, V. Singh, D. Bothner, A. Castellanos-Gomez, and G. A. Steele, Approaching ultrastrong coupling in transmon circuit qed using a high-impedance resonator, Physical Review B95, 224515 (2017)

  48. [48]

    Baust, E

    A. Baust, E. Hoffmann, M. Haeberlein, M. Schwarz, P. Eder, J. Goetz, F. Wulschner, E. Xie, L. Zhong, F. Quijandr´ ıa,et al., Ultrastrong coupling in two- resonator circuit qed, Physical Review B93, 214501 (2016)

  49. [49]

    F. F. Sani, I. Rodrigues, D. Bothner, and G. Steele, Level attraction and idler resonance in a strongly driven joseph- son cavity, Physical Review Research3(2021)

  50. [50]

    C. Kong, X. Bao, J.-B. Liu, and H. Xiong, Magnon- mediated nonreciprocal microwave transmission based on quantum interference, Optics Express29(2021)

  51. [51]

    Chouinard and D

    T. Chouinard and D. Broun, Probing time-reversal sym- metry breaking at microwave frequencies, arXiv preprint arXiv:2505.08898 (2025)

  52. [52]

    Eichler, Y

    C. Eichler, Y. Salathe, J. Mlynek, S. Schmidt, and A. Wallraff, Quantum limited amplification and entan- glement in coupled nonlinear resonators, Physical Review Letters113(2014)

  53. [53]

    McBroom-Carroll, A

    T. McBroom-Carroll, A. Schlabes, X. Xu, J. Ku, B. Cole, S. Indrajeet, M. LaHaye, M. Ansari, and B. Plourde, En- tangling interactions between artificial atoms mediated by a multimode left-handed superconducting ring res- onator, PRX Quantum5, 020325 (2024)

  54. [54]

    PROBING TIME REVERSAL SYMMETRY BREAKING USING A NONLINEAR SUPERCONDUCTING RING RESONATOR

    Q. Miao and G. Agarwal, Kerr nonlinearity induced non- reciprocity in dissipatively coupled resonators, Physical Review Research6, 033020 (2024). 1 SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL FOR “PROBING TIME REVERSAL SYMMETRY BREAKING USING A NONLINEAR SUPERCONDUCTING RING RESONATOR” Appendix A: Detailed Derivation of Hamiltonian In our case, the two microwave modes are cons...