Tunable refraction in a two-dimensional quantum-state metamaterial

In this paper we consider a two-dimensional quantum-state metamaterial comprising an array of qubits (two-level quantum objects). Here we propose that it should be possible to manipulate the propagation of quantum information. We show that a quantum metamaterial such as the one considered here exhibits several different modes of operation, which we have termed Aharonov-Bohm, intermediate, and quantum-Zeno. We also see interesting behavior which could be thought of as either quantum birefringence (where the material acts like a beam splitter) as well as the emergence of quantum correlations in the circuit’s measurement statistics. Quantum-state metamaterials as proposed here may be fabricated from a variety of technologies from superconducting qubits to quantum dots and would be readily testable in existing state-of-the-art laboratories.