Ion trap with in-vacuum high numerical aperture imaging for a dual-species modular quantum computer

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

Background:

• Photonic interconnects are crucial for scalable quantum computing and quantum networking.
• Efficient entanglement generation between remote qubits is essential for integrating photonic links into modular quantum computers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present an ion trap system with high free-space photon collection efficiency for quantum networking.
• To demonstrate mitigation of proximal effects from optical components on ion properties.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a pair of in-vacuum aspheric lenses with a numerical aperture of 0.8.
• Coupled 493 nm photons emitted from a 138Ba+ ion into single-mode fibers.
• Investigated and mitigated proximal effects of the lenses on ion position and motion.

Main Results:

• Achieved the highest reported free-space photon collection efficiency for quantum networking applications.
• Successfully coupled 10(1)% of emitted photons into single-mode fibers.
• Demonstrated effective mitigation of lens-induced proximal effects on the ion.

Conclusions:

• The developed ion trap system significantly improves photon collection efficiency, a key factor for advancing quantum networking.
• This work provides a pathway for more robust and efficient entanglement generation, crucial for future quantum technologies.