Short Description
This ion-trap system is a prototype for a deployable quantum processing node in a future quantum internet. It is currently being used to generate entanglement between remote ions over long distances, mediated by ion-photon entanglement at telecommunications wavelengths.
The node consists of an ultra-high vacuum chamber, a linear Paul trap, a high-finesse optical cavity, and an atomic calcium source. It also includes the lasers, vacuum pumps, electronics, detectors (including cameras and single-photon-counting modules), optics, and optomechanics required (a) to load calcium ions into the trap, (b) to coherently manipulate and measure the electronic and motional states of the calcium ions with high fidelity, (c) to generate and analyze ion-photon entanglement efficiently between ions in the trap and single photons in the optical cavity, (d) to convert photons generated at the calcium wavelength of 854 nm to the telecommunications wavelength of 1550 nm, enabling low-loss transmission through optical fiber. This network node is deployable in the sense that it is mounted in two 19-inch racks and thus can be transported to and installed at remote locations, providing us flexibility for future quantum network demonstrations.
Contact Person
Prof. Dr. Tracy Northup
Research Services
At this time, no research services are offered because the infrastructure is used full-time for an EU-funded research project.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
Methods: cavity-mediated entanglement and quantum state transfer, based on expertise in cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum optics, and quantum information processing.