Solid State Superatoms

现代数字世界依赖于经典的两级系统-二进制位。当前物理学研究的一个主要主题是开发它们的量子等效“量子比特”-隔离的两能级量子系统，用于计算，传感，测量和通信。逻辑量子比特可以使用许多单个原子的系综的物理状态来编码。进行这种集体编码的一种强有力的方法是利用高度激发的电子态，称为里德伯态，它与相邻原子有很强的长程相互作用。到目前为止，这种方法已经在激光冷却的原子气体中得到了证实，但在固态中还没有。我们建议在半导体信号中使用被称为激子的类原子电子态。激子耦合到光，可以被激发到里德堡态，在那里它们的波函数可以封装数十亿个晶格位置。利用固态物理学（应变工程）和原子物理学（微波控制）的方法，我们的目标是隔离集体固态两能级系统（超原子），并利用它们发射的光的量子特性证明它们的存在。最后，我们计划利用大块晶体环境的平移对称性来创建定制的超原子阵列。

The modern digital world relies on classical two-level systems - binary bits. A major theme of current physics research is the development of their quantum equivalent "qubits" - isolated two-level quantum systems, for applications in computing, sensing, measurement and communication. A logical quantum bit may be encoded using the physical states of an ensemble of many individual atoms. A powerful way to carry out such a collective encoding is to exploit highly excited electronic states, known as Rydberg states that have strong long-range interactions with neighbouring atoms. So far, this method has been demonstrated in a laser-cooled atomic gas, but not in the solid state.We propose to use atom-like electronic states known as excitons, in a semiconducting signal. Excitons couple to light and can be excited to a Rydberg state, where their wavefunction can encapsulate billions of lattice sites. Using methods from solid state physics (strain engineering) and atomic physics (microwave control), we aim to isolate collective solid state two-level systems (superatoms), and prove their existence using the quantum properties of the light they emit. Finally we plan to exploit the translational symmetry of the bulk crystal environment to create tailored arrays of superatoms.