Population inversion induced by Landau--Zener transition in a strongly driven rf superconducting quantum interference device

This is the published version, also available here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3093823.Microwave resonances between discrete macroscopically distinct quantum states with single photon and multiphoton absorption are observed in a strongly driven radio frequency superconducting quantum interference device flux qubit. The amplitude of the resonant peaks and dips are modulated by the power of the applied microwave irradiation and a population inversion is generated at low flux bias. These results, which can be addressed with Landau–Zener transition, are useful to develop an alternative means to initialize and manipulate the flux qubit, as well as to do a controllable population inversion used in a micromaser