Ultrafast, high repetition rate, ultraviolet, fiber based laser source: application towards Yb+ fast quantum-logic

TL;DR

This paper presents a high-repetition-rate, ultrafast UV fiber laser source optimized for Yb+ quantum computing, enabling faster, high-fidelity quantum logic gates with scalable pulse patterning.

Contribution

Development of a robust, high-repetition-rate UV fiber laser source with programmable pulse shaping for improved trapped-ion quantum computing.

Findings

Laser produces 2.5 ps UV pulses at 300 MHz

Capable of generating arbitrary pulse patterns

Simulations show >99% fidelity for quantum gates

Abstract

Trapped ions are one of the most promising approaches for the realization of a universal quantum computer. Faster quantum logic gates could dramatically improve the performance of trapped-ion quantum computers, and require the development of suitable high repetition rate pulsed lasers. Here we report on a robust frequency upconverted fiber laser based source, able to deliver 2.5 ps ultraviolet (UV) pulses at a stabilized repetition rate of 300.00000 MHz with an average power of 190 mW. The laser wavelength is resonant with the strong transition in Ytterbium (Yb+) at 369.53 nm and its repetition rate can be scaled up using high harmonic mode locking. We show that our source can produce arbitrary pulse patterns using a programmable pulse pattern generator and fast modulating components. Finally, simulations demonstrate that our laser is capable of performing resonant, temperature-insensitive, two-qubit quantum logic gates on trapped Yb$^+$ ions faster than the trap period and with fidelity above 99%.