Multi-site Integrated Optical Addressing of Trapped Ions

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a scalable integrated photonics approach using waveguides and splitters to address multiple trapped ions with a single optical input, advancing quantum computing and sensing capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a novel integrated optical system employing waveguides and splitters for multi-ion addressing in trapped-ion quantum systems.

Findings

Successful delivery of all required wavelengths to multiple ions

Simultaneous Rabi flopping on different transitions at separate trap sites

Progress towards scalable integrated photonics for quantum technologies

Abstract

One of the most effective ways to advance the performance of quantum computers and quantum sensors is to increase the number of qubits or quantum resources in the system. A major technical challenge that must be solved to realize this goal for trapped-ion systems is scaling the delivery of optical signals to many individual ions. In this paper we demonstrate an approach employing waveguides and multi-mode interferometer splitters to optically address multiple $^{171}\textrm{Yb}^+$ ions in a surface trap by delivering all wavelengths required for full qubit control. Measurements of hyperfine spectra and Rabi flopping were performed on the E2 clock transition, using integrated waveguides for delivering the light needed for Doppler cooling, state preparation, coherent operations, and detection. We describe the use of splitters to address multiple ions using a single optical input per wavelength and use them to demonstrate simultaneous Rabi flopping on two different transitions occurring at distinct trap sites. This work represents an important step towards the realization of scalable integrated photonics for atomic clocks and trapped-ion quantum information systems.