Surface-electrode ion lattices for quantum information science

量子信息科学的一个主要目标是在由许多粒子组成的系统中创建和操纵非经典关联(纠缠)。这种纠缠越来越被认为是一种宝贵的物理资源，可以用于传统计算机无法轻松完成的信息处理任务。囚禁离子为产生和存储纠缠提供了一个极好的物理系统，特别是当离子被微细制造的、精确定义的电极限制时。该项目将实现捕获离子的大型周期性阵列，可以存储单个光子，并按需释放它们。周期性的离子阵列还将被用来模拟其他不容易经典建模的量子力学系统。这项由两名具有物理、电气工程和计算机科学背景的研究人员开展的跨学科项目将吸引来自这三个领域的学生，大大丰富他们的教育经验。该项目将通过培养研究生和将本科生纳入研究努力，将研究和教育目标统一起来。学生们将通过麻省理工学院国家科学基金会超冷原子中心现有的扩展计划直接与更广泛的物理界接触。成功的量子模拟可能有助于解决科学、技术、甚至工业上的重要问题，如高温超导。稳健量子信息处理的实验实现可能会给我们社会的信息基础设施带来革命性的变化。

A major goal of quantum information science is the creation and manipulation of non-classical correlations (entanglement) in systems consisting of many particles. Such entanglement is increasingly recognized as a valuable physical resource, that can be used for information processing tasks that cannot be easily accomplished with classical computers. Trapped ions provide a superb physical system for creating and storing entanglement, particularly when the ions are confined by microfabricated, precisely defined electrodes. This project will realize large periodic arrays of trapped ions that can store single photons, and release them on demand. The periodic array of ions will also be used to simulate other quantum mechanical systems that cannot be easily modeled classically.This interdisciplinary project by two investigators with backgrounds in physics, electrical engineering, and computer science will draw on students from all three areas, significantly enriching their education experience. The project will unite research and educational goals by training graduate students, and by integrating undergraduate students into the research effort. Students will interface directly with the broader physics community through an existing outreach program in the NSF Center for Ultracold Atoms at MIT. Successful quantum simulation could contribute towards solving scientifically, technologically, and even industrially important problems such as high-temperature superconductivity. The experimental realization of robust quantum information processing could revolutionize the information infrastructure of our society.