Quantum Control, Measurement, and Information in Atomic Spin Ensembles

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Information processing (IP) is at the heart of the modern economy. The cutting edge of IP is a new paradigm -- "quantum information processing," (QIP) -- where bits are encoded in microscopic states of light and matter. The nonintuitive properties of quantum mechanics such as superposition and entanglement allow for computations, communications, and measurements beyond the power and any existing IP device. This grant studies the implementation of QIP with atomic gasses cooled to ultralow temperatures. Laser beams act as a quantum databus to entangle atoms with one another, and as a mechanism for reading out the information. The control of atoms is studied to create new quantum states that have the unique properties necessary for QIP. This work is theoretical, carried out in close collaboration with laboratory experiments. The research contributes to the knowledge base of quantum information science, and to the training of future scientists in this highly interdisciplinary field. Students will be involved in all aspects of the project, including education, research, and the dissemination of results. The project is an integral part of the NSF-funded Center for Quantum Information and Control (CQuIC). We use video conferencing to allow participation of CQuIC partners in the regular activities of CQuIC, including weekly group meetings and research seminars, and strengthen the connections between junior and senior members through an annual research retreat. All students and senior personnel actively participate in the Southwest Quantum Information Technology (SQuInT) network, including the annual workshop. During its 15-year history SQuInT has provided a vibrant avenue for exchange of ideas and results in QIS, with particular emphasis given to PhD students, postdocs, and new researchers in the field.