Beat note stabilization of mode-locked lasers for quantum information processing

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Atomic Physics
• Laser Spectroscopy

Background:

• Coherent manipulation of quantum information is crucial for quantum computing.
• Trapped ytterbium ions (Yb+) are promising quantum bit (qubit) platforms.
• Precise control over optical fields is necessary for high-fidelity qubit operations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust method for stabilizing optical fields for quantum information processing.
• To enable coherent manipulation of quantum information without active laser repetition rate stabilization.
• To implement and characterize an external stabilization scheme for trapped 171Yb+ qubits.

Main Methods:

• Stabilizing a radio frequency beat note between two optical fields from a single mode-locked laser.
• Implementing an external lock to a chosen radio frequency.
• Characterizing the scheme using two-photon stimulated Raman transitions in 171Yb+ qubits.

Main Results:

• Successfully stabilized the radio frequency beat note between optical fields.
• Demonstrated coherent manipulation of quantum information using the stabilized fields.
• Showcased the scheme's effectiveness without active laser repetition rate stabilization.

Conclusions:

• The developed external lock scheme provides a stable platform for coherent quantum information manipulation.
• This method simplifies experimental requirements by eliminating the need for laser repetition rate stabilization.
• The technique is applicable to trapped ion qubits, specifically 171Yb+, for advanced quantum operations.