No Arabic abstract
Highly efficient, nearly deterministic, and isotope selective generation of Yb$^+$ ions by 1- and 2-color photoionization is demonstrated. State preparation and state selective detection of hyperfine states in ybodd is investigated in order to optimize the purity of the prepared state and to time-optimize the detection process. Linear laser cooled Yb$^+$ ion crystals ions confined in a Paul trap are demonstrated. Advantageous features of different previous ion trap experiments are combined while at the same time the number of possible error sources is reduced by using a comparatively simple experimental apparatus. This opens a new path towards quantum state manipulation of individual trapped ions, and in particular, to scalable quantum computing.
Trapped ions are a leading system for realizing quantum information processing (QIP). Most of the technologies required for implementing large-scale trapped-ion QIP have been demonstrated, with one key exception: a massively parallel ion-photon interconnect. Arrays of microfabricated phase Fresnel lenses (PFL) are a promising interconnect solution that is readily integrated with ion trap arrays for large-scale QIP. Here we show the first imaging of trapped ions with a microfabricated in-vacuum PFL, demonstrating performance suitable for scalable QIP. A single ion fluorescence collection efficiency of 4.2 +/- 1.5% was observed, in agreement with the previously measured optical performance of the PFL. The contrast ratio between the ion signal and the background scatter was 23 +/- 4. The depth of focus for the imaging system was 19.4 +/- 2.4 {mu}m and the field of view was 140 +/- 20 {mu}m. Our approach also provides an integrated solution for high-efficiency optical coupling in neutral atom and solid state QIP architectures.
We briefly discuss recent experiments on quantum information processing using trapped ions at NIST. A central theme of this work has been to increase our capabilities in terms of quantum computing protocols, but we have also applied the same concepts to improved metrology, particularly in the area of frequency standards and atomic clocks. Such work may eventually shed light on more fundamental issues, such as the quantum measurement problem.
Atomic ions confined in multi-electrode traps have been proposed as a basis for scalable quantum information processing. This scheme involves transporting ions between spatially distinct locations by use of time-varying electric potentials combined with laser or microwave pulses for quantum logic in specific locations. We report the development of a fast multi-channel arbitrary waveform generator for applying the time-varying electric potentials used for transport and for shaping quantum logic pulses. The generator is based on a field-programmable gate array controlled ensemble of 16-bit digital-to-analog converters with an update frequency of 50 MHz and an output range of $pm$10 V. The update rate of the waveform generator is much faster than relevant motional frequencies of the confined ions in our experiments, allowing diabatic control of the ion motion. Numerous pre-loaded sets of time-varying voltages can be selected with 40 ns latency conditioned on real-time signals. Here we describe the device and demonstrate some of its uses in ion-based quantum information experiments, including speed-up of ion transport and the shaping of laser and microwave pulses.
Quantum-mechanical principles can be used to process information (QIP). In one approach, linear arrays of trapped, laser cooled ion qubits (two-level quantum systems) are confined in segmented multi-zone electrode structures. The ion trap approach to QIP requires trapping and control of numerous ions in electrode structures with many trapping zones. I investigated microfabrication of structures to trap, transport and couple large numbers of ions. Using 24Mg+ I demonstrated loading and transport between zones in microtraps made of boron doped silicon. This thesis describes the fundamentals of ion trapping, the characteristics of silicon-based traps amenable to QIP work and apparatus to trap ions and characterize traps. Microfabrication instructions appropriate for nonexperts are included. Ion motional heating was measured. <<>> Using MEMs techniques I built a Si micro-mechanical oscillator and demonstrated a method to reduce the kinetic energy of its lowest order mechanical mode via capacitive coupling to a driven radio frequency (RF) oscillator. Cooling resulted from a RF capacitive force, phase shifted relative to the cantilever motion. The technique was demonstrated by cooling the 7 kHz fundamental mode from room temperature to 45 K. <<>> I also discuss an implementation of the semiclassical quantum Fourier transform (QFT) using three beryllium ion qubits. The QFT is a crucial step in a number of quantum algorithms including Shors algorithm, a quantum approach to integer factorization which is exponentially faster than the fastest known classical factoring algorithm. This demonstration incorporated the key elements of a scalable ion-trap architecture for QIP.
Quantum computers hold the promise to solve certain problems exponentially faster than their classical counterparts. Trapped atomic ions are among the physical systems in which building such a computing device seems viable. In this work we present a small-scale quantum information processor based on a string of $^{40}$Ca${^+}$ ions confined in a macroscopic linear Paul trap. We review our set of operations which includes non-coherent operations allowing us to realize arbitrary Markovian processes. In order to build a larger quantum information processor it is mandatory to reduce the error rate of the available operations which is only possible if the physics of the noise processes is well understood. We identify the dominant noise sources in our system and discuss their effects on different algorithms. Finally we demonstrate how our entire set of operations can be used to facilitate the implementation of algorithms by examples of the quantum Fourier transform and the quantum order finding algorithm.