Drive-Through Quantum Gate: Non-Stop Entangling a Mobile Ion Qubit with a Stationary One

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel continuous-motion entangling scheme between stationary and mobile ion qubits, reducing heating issues and enabling efficient quantum operations for scalable ion-trap quantum computing.

Contribution

It introduces a new entangling method with mobile ions in uniform motion, minimizing motional heating and improving resource efficiency over traditional QCCD approaches.

Findings

Gate error estimated at 0.01% with current technology

Enables long-distance entanglement distribution

Supports scalable quantum computing architectures

Abstract

Towards the scalable realization of a quantum computer, a quantum charge-coupled device (QCCD) based on ion shuttling has been considered a promising approach. However, the processes of detaching an ion from an array, reintegrating it, and driving non-uniform motion introduce severe heating, requiring significant time and laser power for re-cooling and stabilization. To mitigate these challenges, we propose a novel entangling scheme between a stationary ion qubit and a continuously transported mobile ion, which remains in uniform motion and minimizes motional heating. We theoretically demonstrate a gate error on the order of 0.01%, within reach of current technology. This approach enables resource-efficient quantum operations and facilitates long-distance entanglement distribution, where stationary trapped-ion arrays serve as memory units and mobile ions act as communication qubits passing beside them. Our results pave the way for an alternative trapped-ion architecture beyond the QCCD paradigm.