Implementation of Chiral Quantum Optics with Rydberg and Trapped-ion Setups

TL;DR

This paper proposes two experimental setups using Rydberg atoms and trapped ions to realize chiral quantum networks with directional interactions, highlighting design strategies for strong chirality and potential observable quantum phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces novel implementations of chiral quantum networks using Rydberg and trapped-ion systems with synthetic gauge fields for directional coupling.

Findings

Strong chirality achievable via synthetic gauge fields.

Potential observation of entangled dimer states.

Analysis of experimental parameters and error sources.

Abstract

We propose two setups for realizing a chiral quantum network, where two-level systems representing the nodes interact via directional emission into discrete waveguides, as introduced in T. Ramos et al. [Phys. Rev. A 93, 062104 (2016)]. The first implementation realizes a spin waveguide via Rydberg states in a chain of atoms, whereas the second one realizes a phonon waveguide via the localized vibrations of a string of trapped ions. For both architectures, we show that strong chirality can be obtained by a proper design of synthetic gauge fields in the couplings from the nodes to the waveguide. In the Rydberg case, this is achieved via intrinsic spin-orbit coupling in the dipole-dipole interactions, while for the trapped ions it is obtained by engineered sideband transitions. We take long-range couplings into account that appear naturally in these implementations, discuss useful experimental parameters, and analyze potential error sources. Finally, we describe effects that can be observed in these implementations within state-of-the-art technology, such as the driven-dissipative formation of entangled dimer states.