RUI: Investigation of Atomic Dipole Traps Created by Diffraction of Laser Light for Use in Quantum Computing

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。该项目的目标是研究一种新的光模式，作为中性原子量子计算“可寻址问题”的可能解决方案。量子计算机是一种理论设备，它利用量子力学的基本规则来进行计算。它们将以当前传统计算机无法比拟的规模进行大规模并行处理，并且还可以以指数级速度执行某些计算。由于这项技术的前景，尽管面临许多挑战，物理学界正在通过研究几种可行的方案来开发一种功能齐全的量子计算机。其中一种方案是中性原子量子计算，它使用被困在光模式中的冷原子。用中性原子方法进行量子计算的唯一剩下的问题是找到一种光模式，这种光模式允许将单个原子存储在大量的位置上，这些位置可以使用聚焦激光束进行量子操作的单独寻址。在这个项目中，研究了这个问题的一个新解决方案：在二维针孔阵列后面形成的光模式将作为具有单点寻址能力的可行量子存储器（即大型原子阵列）进行计算和实验探索。这项工作更广泛的影响是为本科生提供参与前沿研究的机会。加州理工学院的物理系是一个纯粹的本科生系，所以所有的任务都将由本科生来完成。PI和Co-PI都有从传统上代表性不足的科学群体中吸引学生的记录。学生将构建和执行冷原子实验，并协助开发陷阱的计算机模拟。该项目旨在激发学生对科学研究的兴趣，并教授他们实验室、计算和批判性思维技能，这些技能将有助于他们开始科学事业或任何其他选择的职业道路。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).The objective of this project is to investigate a new light pattern as a possible solution to the "addressability problem" of neutral atom quantum computing. Quantum computers are theoretical devices that exploit the fundamental rules of quantum mechanics for the purposes of computation. They would be massively parallel on a scale unmatched by current conventional computers and could also perform certain calculations exponentially faster. Because of this technological promise, and despite many challenges, a major effort is being made by the physics community to develop a functioning quantum computer by investigating several viable schemes. One of these schemes, neutral atom quantum computing, uses cold atoms trapped in a light pattern. The only remaining problem with the neutral atom approach to quantum computing is finding a light pattern that allows the storage of single atoms in a large array of sites that can be individually addressed for quantum operations using a focused laser beam. In this project, a novel solution to this problem is investigated: the light pattern formed behind a two-dimensional array of pinholes will be explored computationally and experimentally as a viable quantum memory (i.e. large array of atoms) with single-site addressbility.The broader impact of this work is to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to get involved in cutting-edge research. The physics department at Cal Poly is a purely undergraduate department, so all tasks will be performed by undergraduate students. Both the PI and the Co-PI have a record of attracting students from traditionally underrepresented groups in science. Students will construct and perform the cold atom experiments and assist with developing computer simulations of the traps. The project aims to stir the students' interest in scientific research and teach them laboratory, computational, and critical thinking skills that will help them start a scientific career or any other chosen career path.