Compact superconducting vacuum-gap capacitors with low microwave loss and high mechanical coherence for scalable quantum circuits

Vacuum-gap capacitors have recently attracted significant interest in superconducting circuit platforms due to their compact design and exceptionally low dielectric losses in the microwave regime. Their intrinsic ability to support mechanical vibrational modes makes them well suited for circuit optomechanics. However, precise control over the gap size and the realization of high-coherence mechanical modes remain longstanding challenges. Here, we present a detailed and scalable fabrication process for vacuum-gap capacitors that support ultrahigh-coherence mechanical motion, exhibit low microwave loss, and occupy a significantly smaller footprint compared to conventional planar geometries. By employing a planarized SiO2 sacrificial layer, we achieve vacuum gaps on the order of 150 nm. Using this platform, we have recently demonstrated ground-state cooling and motion squeezing of a mechanical oscillator with a quality factor of 40 million-a 100-fold improvement compared to prior works-as well as a single-photon optomechanical coupling rate of approximately 15 Hz [Youssefi et al., Nat. Phys. 19, 1697 (2023)]. Additional achievements include the realization of an optomechanical topological lattice with 24 sites [Youssefi et al., Nature 612, 666 (2022)] and the observation of quantum collective dynamics in a mechanical hexamer [Chegnizadeh et al., Science 386, 1383 (2024)]. Collectively, these results underscore the potential of vacuum-gap capacitors as a platform for coupling superconducting qubits to mechanical systems, enabling quantum storage, and probing gravitational effects in quantum mechanics.