  This article presents our procedure to measure the quantum state of a dc
SQUID within a few nanoseconds, using an adiabatic dc flux pulse. Detection of
the ground state is governed by standard macroscopic quantum theory (MQT), with
a small correction due to residual noise in the bias current. In the two level
limit, where the SQUID constitutes a phase qubit, an observed contrast of 0.54
indicates a significant loss in contrast compared to the MQT prediction. It is
attributed to spurious depolarization (loss of excited state occupancy) during
the leading edge of the adiabatic flux measurement pulse. We give a simple
phenomenological relaxation model which is able to predict the observed
contrast of multilevel Rabi oscillations for various microwave amplitudes.
