Fast transport, atom sample splitting, and single-atom qubit supply in two-dimensional arrays of optical microtraps

TL;DR

This paper advances two-dimensional optical microtrap arrays by demonstrating rapid atom transport, site-specific control, and a continuous high-fidelity single-atom qubit supply, enhancing capabilities for quantum information processing.

Contribution

It introduces integrated techniques for atom transport, trap control, and single-atom preparation in microtrap arrays, enabling dynamic reconfiguration for quantum applications.

Findings

Transport of atom ensembles over >1 trap distance using piezo actuators.

Rapid atom transport via acousto-optical beam steering.

High-fidelity single-atom qubit preparation from ensembles.

Abstract

Two-dimensional arrays of optical micro-traps created by microoptical elements present a versatile and scalable architecture for neutral atom quantum information processing, quantum simulation, and the manipulation of ultra-cold quantum gases. In this article, we demonstrate advanced capabilities of this approach by introducing novel techniques and functionalities as well as the combined operation of previously separately implemented functions. We introduce piezo-actuator based transport of atom ensembles over distances of more than one trap separation, examine the capabilities of rapid atom transport provided by acousto-optical beam steering, and analyze the adiabaticity limit for atom transport in these configurations. We implement a spatial light modulator with 8-bit transmission control for the per-site adjustment of the trap depth and the number of atoms loaded. We combine single-site addressing, trap depth control, and atom transport in one configuration for demonstrating the splitting of atom ensembles with variable ratio at predefined register sites. Finally, we use controlled sub-poissonian preparation of single trapped atoms from such an ensemble to show that our approach allows for the implementation of a continuous supply of single-atom qubits with high fidelity. These novel implementations and their combined operation significantly extend available techniques for the dynamical and reconfigurable manipulation of ultracold atoms in dipole traps.