Realization of invariant-based shortcuts to population inversion with a superconducting circuit

Shortcuts to adiabaticity have been proved an effective routine for precise quantum state manipulation. Here, we experimentally demonstrate invariant-based shortcuts to adiabaticity to speed up the population transfer in a superconducting circuit. Through inverse engineering of the Hamiltonian, we realize this protocol in a single-qubit and a two-qubit system. The Lewis–Risenfeld phase is characterized experimentally. Furthermore, we investigate the robustness of the scheme against amplitude and frequency errors.