Optimizing LZSM protocol for high-fidelity gates in open-system fluxonium

Abstract

Quantum gates based on resonant Rabi oscillations are inherently slow for small-frequency qubits. They are also prone to errors due to counter-rotating terms. However, when the anharmonicity is sufficiently high, as in the fluxonium architecture, alternative manipulation protocols can outperform standard resonant driving. In this work, we implement fast, high-fidelity quantum gates based on a one-period Landau-Zener-St\"uckelberg-Majorana (LZSM) driving protocol. We derive analytical expressions that simplify the exploration of the parameter space while accounting for the multi-level structure of the circuit. Furthermore, we analyze the role of leakage, discussing strategies to mitigate it and identifying regimes in which it becomes the dominant source of error. Finally, to evaluate the impact of dissipation on gate fidelity, we develop a robust formalism suitable for analyzing the open-system performance of quantum gates in the strong driving regime.