  In cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED), light-matter interaction is probed
at its most fundamental level, where individual atoms are coupled to single
photons stored in three-dimensional cavities. This unique possibility to
experimentally explore the foundations of quantum physics has greatly evolved
with the advent of circuit QED, where on-chip superconducting qubits and
oscillators play the roles of two-level atoms and cavities, respectively. In
the strong coupling limit, atom and cavity can exchange a photon frequently
before coherence is lost. This important regime has been reached both in cavity
and circuit QED, but the design flexibility and engineering potential of the
latter allowed for increasing the ratio between the atom-cavity coupling rate
and the cavity transition frequency above the percent level. While these
experiments are well described by the renowned Jaynes-Cummings model, novel
physics is expected in the ultrastrong coupling limit. Here, we report on the
first experimental realization of a superconducting circuit QED system in the
ultrastrong coupling limit and present direct evidence for the breakdown of the
Jaynes-Cummings model.
