In less than a century, quantum physics has grown from an interesting puzzle, to a striking reality, to a source of revolutionary computational ideas. A computer based upon the power of quantum physics will be able to solve certain tasks at rates unmatched by classical computers, and measurement tasks will benefit from the ability to harness correlations between quantum particles. However, physicists and engineers face seemingly impossible tasks in assembling these devices. Fully isolating thousands of single quantum particles and at the same time introducing ways for them to interact is very difficult. The fragility of entanglement means that the disturbance of just one of those particles can be a catastrophic event. The goal of this project is to devise techniques to advance isolation and control of neutral atoms in "tweezers" made from focused laser beams, a potential new platform for realizing many interacting quantum particles. By operating at temperatures achieved with liquid cryogens, 4 degrees above absolute zero, the atoms can be held in traps for longer times, and highly-excited atomic states, known as Rydberg states, can have longer lifetimes. This work will develop devices that trap atoms held within a cryogenic environment, and demonstrate associated enhancements in small-scale quantum protocols. The work will encompass graduate student training and impact on undergraduate education.
The bottom-up assembly of arrays of single atoms, their individual control, and entangling mechanism such as Rydberg excitation have enabled new perspectives on scalable and addressable sets of neutral atoms for quantum computing. However, advances could soon saturate due to limitations in multiple aspects of quantum coherence. This project will develop a new cryogenic apparatus based on a closed-cycle cryocooler that retains single-atom control, and subsequently explore multiple scientific directions. As initial demonstrations, the researchers will study the creation of non-classical states of motion of trapped neutral atoms harnessing long storage times, and benchmark improved Rydberg lifetimes; ultimately Rydberg-entangled optical atomic clocks will benefit from and combine with the technology. The advances represented by this work will also impact Rydberg quantum computing development, and provide insight into quantum state synthesis and metrologically-useful quantum states. Further, in the quantum leap grand challenge the import and meaning of quantum sciences must be propagated to a next generation of quantum-hardware researchers and to the general public, and the project will incorporate multiple avenues for education.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
