Two-dimensional array of microtraps with atomic shift register on a chip

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a two-dimensional array of ultracold atom traps on a chip, capable of loading hundreds of atom clouds, cooling them to degeneracy, and manipulating individual traps using an atomic shift register.

Contribution

It introduces a scalable 2D atom chip array with parallel loading, cooling, and local manipulation of atom clouds, advancing quantum register development.

Findings

Loaded hundreds of atom traps on a chip

Achieved parallel cooling to quantum degeneracy

Implemented atomic shift register for atom manipulation

Abstract

Arrays of trapped atoms are the ideal starting point for developing registers comprising large numbers of physical qubits for storing and processing quantum information. One very promising approach involves neutral atom traps produced on microfabricated devices known as atom chips, as almost arbitrary trap configurations can be realised in a robust and compact package. Until now, however, atom chip experiments have focused on small systems incorporating single or only a few individual traps. Here we report experiments on a two-dimensional array of trapped ultracold atom clouds prepared using a simple magnetic-film atom chip. We are able to load atoms into hundreds of tightly confining and optically resolved array sites. We then cool the individual atom clouds in parallel to the critical temperature required for quantum degeneracy. Atoms are shuttled across the chip surface utilising the atom chip as an atomic shift register and local manipulation of atoms is implemented using a focused laser to rapidly empty individual traps.