Active Nanophotonics for Interactions of Trapped Particles

Abstract

A system is provided that includes a particle confinement assembly and one or more signal manipulation elements. The particle confinement assembly defines a plurality of particle positions. Each signal manipulation element of the one or more signal manipulation elements includes (a) an active nanofphotonic component associated with at least one respective position of the plurality of particle positions and (b) having a dynamically controllable optical effect. Each signal manipulation element of the one or more signal manipulation elements is configured to cause either (a) an induced signal to impinge on at least a portion of at least one respective position or (b) an induced signal to impinge on a respective collection location corresponding to at least one respective position in response to an incident signal impinging thereon and based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Application No. 63 / 363,506, filed Apr. 25, 2022, and U.S. Application No. 18 / 190,496, filed Mar. 27, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] Various embodiments relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods related to the use of active nanophotonics for interacting with trapped particles. For example, various embodiments relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods related to the use of active nanophotonics for causing an optical beam to impinge on a trapped particle and / or for detecting an optical signal emitted by a trapped particle. Exemplary embodiments relate to the use of active nanophotonics for interacting with qubits of a quantum computer.

Background Art

[0003] When using an ion trap to perform quantum computing, the gates and other functions of the quantum computer are performed by applying a laser beam to the ions contained within the ion trap. Due to the low ion height on the trap, the Rayleigh length of the laser beam, and the amount of laser power required to be delivered to the ions within the trap to perform the functions of the quantum computer, delivering these laser beams to a large - scale quantum computer is a significant challenge. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of the deficiencies of previous laser - beam application techniques have been solved by developing structured solutions in accordance with embodiments of the present invention, many examples of which are detailed herein.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Application No. 17 / 653,979 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Application No. 63 / 200,263 [Summary of the Invention] [Means for Solving the Problems]

[0005] Exemplary embodiments provide a method, system, apparatus, computer program product, and / or the like for interacting with and / or causing particle interactions using signal manipulation elements that include active nanophotonics. In various embodiments, the interaction with the particles is effected through optical beams and / or signals applied to and / or incident on the particles. In various embodiments, particle interactions (e.g., interactions between two or more particles) are caused and / or mediated by optical beams and / or signals applied to and / or incident on the particles that are interacting with each other.

[0006] In various embodiments, the particles are trapped and / or confined atomic objects (e.g., atoms, ions, groups of atoms and / or ions, and / or the like), qubits, and / or the like. For example, the particles can be trapped and / or confined by a confinement assembly that includes and / or is associated with a signal management system that includes a plurality of signal manipulation elements. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation elements include active nanofotonics such as a metasurface, metamaterial, photonic crystal, diffractive optical element, a microfabricated surface configured to perform a signal control function (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like), and / or the like, having a dynamically controllable optical effect. In various embodiments, an incident signal and / or beam (e.g., an incoming manipulation signal and / or beam and / or a stimulation signal and / or beam) impinges on the signal manipulation elements and an induced signal and / or beam is emitted that is applied to a particle location or a collection location corresponding to each particle location.

[0007] In various embodiments, one or more characteristics of the induced signal and / or beam are determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation elements. Some non-limiting examples of characteristics of the induced signal and / or beam that can be determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation elements include beam position / angle (direction of propagation of the induced signal / beam), focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power (e.g., amplitude), and / or the like.

[0008] According to aspects of the present disclosure, a system is provided (e.g., a signal management system, a quantum computer, a trapped particle system, and / or the like). In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a confinement assembly and one or more signal manipulation elements. The particle confinement assembly defines a plurality of particle positions. Each signal manipulation element of the one or more signal manipulation elements includes (a) an active nanofphotonic component associated with at least one respective position of the plurality of particle positions and (b) having at least one dynamically controllable optical effect. Each signal manipulation element of the one or more signal manipulation elements is configured to cause either (a) an induced signal to impinge on at least a portion of at least one respective position or (b) an induced signal to impinge on a respective collection location corresponding to at least one respective position in response to an incident signal impinging thereon and based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect.

[0009] In an exemplary embodiment, one or more characteristics of the induced signal are controlled by the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect.

[0010] In an exemplary embodiment, one or more characteristics of the induced signal include one or more of beam position / angle, focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect is controlled via at least one of the application of an electrical signal or an electric field to each signal manipulation element, the polarization of the incident signal, the mechanical adjustment or movement of each signal manipulation element, the temperature of each signal manipulation element, the electro-optic effect of each signal manipulation element, the acousto-optic effect of each signal manipulation element, or the photoelastic effect of each signal manipulation element.

[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the confinement assembly is at least partially formed on the first substrate, and at least one of the one or more signal manipulation elements is formed on the first substrate.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the confinement assembly is at least partially formed on the first substrate, and at least one of the one or more signal manipulation elements is formed on the second substrate, and the second substrate is attached to the first substrate in a fixed or controllable manner.

[0014] In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation source is at least partially formed on the first substrate or the second substrate, and / or at least partially formed within the first substrate or the second substrate.

[0015] In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation source includes a resonant structure formed as an array of nanofabricated photonic structures.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the array of nanofabricated photonic structures is configured to have a metasurface or diffraction effect.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, an array of nanophotonic structures forms a photonic crystal structure, and at least a portion of the photonic crystal structure is configured to have a metasurface or a diffraction effect.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, an array of nanophotonic structures is configured to be seeded by a seed beam, and the seed beam controls at least one of the frequency of the light emitted by a laser or the linewidth of the light emitted by a laser.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, a manipulation source is a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) including an external cavity at least partially defined by at least one of one or more signal manipulation elements.

[0020] In an exemplary embodiment, the external cavity is defined by a first signal manipulation element formed on a first substrate and a second signal manipulation element formed on a second substrate.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, a manipulation source is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) at least partially formed in a first substrate or a second substrate, and signal manipulation elements are disposed along an emission axis of the VCSEL and are configured to control at least one characteristic of a signal emitted by the VCSEL.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, injection locking or seeding of a cavity of a manipulation source is used to control the frequency or linewidth of a signal emitted by the manipulation source.

[0023] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the signal manipulation elements is configured to modulate at least one of the amplitude, phase, frequency, or polarization of the induced signal.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the signal manipulation elements has a dynamically controllable refractive index.

[0025] In an exemplary embodiment, the dynamically controllable refractive index is used to steer or control the propagation direction of the induced signal.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one signal manipulation element includes a photoactive material and is configured to provide an electrical signal in response to light incident thereon.

[0027] In an exemplary embodiment, the induced signal has a frequency different from that of the incident signal.

[0028] In an exemplary embodiment, the incident signal is an infrared signal and the induced signal is a visible or UV signal.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, each signal manipulation element is configured to convert the frequency of the incident signal to the frequency of the induced signal using at least one of harmonic generation or a conversion effect that changes over time.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, the incident signal is a pulsed signal.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the induced signal is used to perform a background free gated readout function.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the VECSEL is at least partially formed on or in a first substrate and at least partially formed on or in a second substrate. The VECSEL includes a first signal manipulation element disposed on the first substrate and a second signal manipulation element disposed on the second substrate. The first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element define an external cavity of the VECSEL. At least one of the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element includes respective active nanophotonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect.

[0033] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate defines a surface normal, and the external cavity of the VECSEL is angled with respect to the surface normal.

[0034] In an exemplary embodiment, a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more particles is formed on the first substrate.

[0035] In an exemplary embodiment, the confinement assembly defines a plurality of particle positions, and a first particle position of the plurality of particle positions is disposed between the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element such that the particle position is disposed within the external cavity.

[0036] According to another aspect, a trapped particle system is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the trapped particle system includes a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more particles, defining a plurality of particle positions, the confinement assembly being formed on a first substrate, a second substrate being attached to the first substrate in a fixed or controllable manner, a first vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) being at least partially formed on or in the first substrate and at least partially formed on or in the second substrate. The first VECSEL includes a first signal manipulation element disposed on the first substrate and a second signal manipulation element disposed on the second substrate. The first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element define an external cavity of the first VECSEL. At least one of the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element includes respective active nanofphotonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect. A first particle position among the plurality of particle positions is disposed between the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element such that the first particle position is disposed within the external cavity of the first VECSEL.

[0037] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate defines a surface normal, and the external cavity of the first VECSEL is angled with respect to the surface normal.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the trapped particle system further includes a second VECSEL that is at least partially formed on or in a first substrate and at least partially formed on or in a second substrate. The second VECSEL includes a third signal manipulation element disposed on the first substrate and a fourth signal manipulation element disposed on the second substrate. The third signal manipulation element and the fourth signal manipulation element define an external cavity of the second VECSEL. At least one of the third signal manipulation element and the fourth signal manipulation element includes respective active photonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect. The first particle position is disposed between the third signal manipulation element and the fourth signal manipulation element and is arranged to be within the external cavity of the second VECSEL.

[0039] According to another aspect, a laser is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the laser includes a photonic crystal structure defining a photonic crystal cavity. At least a portion of the photonic crystal structure is configured to have a metasurface or a diffraction effect.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, a portion of the photonic crystal structure is an emission surface of the photonic crystal structure.

[0041] In an exemplary embodiment, the metasurface or the diffraction effect is configured to control at least one of a propagation direction, polarization, or phase of light emitted by the laser.

[0042] According to another aspect, a laser is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the laser includes a photonic crystal structure that defines a photonic crystal cavity. The photonic crystal cavity is configured to be seeded by a seed beam, and the seed beam controls at least one of the frequency of the light emitted by the laser or the linewidth of the light emitted by the laser.

[0043] In an exemplary embodiment, the seed beam is a laser beam generated by an external laser, has an external laser power, and the laser is configured to emit an emission beam having an emitted laser power, and the emitted laser power is greater than the external laser power.

[0044] Although the present invention has been described in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0045]

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[0046] Here, the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all, embodiments of the invention are shown. In fact, the present invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. The term "or" (also denoted " / ") is used herein in both an alternative and a conjunctive sense, unless otherwise indicated. The terms "for illustrative purposes" and "exemplary" are used as examples without indication of a quality level. The terms "generally", "substantially", and "approximately" refer, unless otherwise indicated, to being within engineering tolerances and / or manufacturing tolerances, and / or within the capabilities of a user's measurements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0047] Various embodiments provide methods, systems, devices, computer program products, and / or the like for interacting with and / or causing particle interactions using signal manipulation elements that include active nanophotonics. In various embodiments, active nanophotonics is a nanophotonic element having at least one dynamically controllable optical effect. Passive nanophotonics is a nanophotonic element having no dynamically controllable optical effect. In various embodiments, the interaction with the particle is performed through an optical beam and / or signal applied to and / or incident on the particle. In various embodiments, the particle interaction (e.g., the interaction between two or more particles) is caused and / or mediated by an optical beam and / or signal applied to and / or incident on the particles that are interacting with each other. In various embodiments, the particle is a trapped and / or confined atomic object (e.g., an atom, an ion, a group of atoms and / or ions, and / or the like), a qubit (e.g., of a quantum processor and / or a quantum computer), and / or the like. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the particle is a trapped ion used as a qubit of a quantum charge-coupled device (QCCD)-based quantum computer. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element includes one or more of a metasurface and / or a metamaterial array, a diffractive optical element, a photonic crystal, and / or a microfabricated surface configured to perform a signal control function (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like).

[0048] In various embodiments, particles are trapped and / or confined by a confinement assembly that includes and / or is associated with a signal management system. In various embodiments, the signal management system defines a plurality of optical paths that are configured to enable the application of manipulation signals to particle positions defined by the confinement assembly and / or to provide an indication of signals emitted by the particles to respective collection locations.

[0049] In various embodiments, the signal management system includes a plurality of signal manipulation elements. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation elements include active nanophotonics such as a metasurface, a metamaterial, a photonic crystal, a diffractive optical element, a microfabricated surface configured to perform signal control functions (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like), and / or the like, having a dynamically controllable optical effect. In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect is controlled and / or influenced by an electrical signal, an electric field, an incident signal and / or beam polarization, mechanical adjustment and / or movement (e.g., controlled via an electrically controlled motor, actuator, and / or the like), the temperature of a nanophotonic element, an electro-optic effect, an acousto-optic effect, a photoelastic effect, and / or the like.

[0050] In various embodiments, an incident signal and / or beam (e.g., an incoming manipulation signal and / or a stimulation signal) impinges on a signal manipulation element, and an induced signal and / or beam that is applied to a particle location or a collection location corresponding to each particle location is emitted (e.g., by and / or from the signal manipulation element). In various embodiments, one or more characteristics of the induced signal and / or beam are determined based on the state of a dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element. Some non-limiting examples of characteristics of the induced signal and / or beam that can be determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element include beam position / angle (direction of propagation of the induced signal / beam), focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power (e.g., amplitude), chromatic filtering, and / or the like.

[0051] In various embodiments, the confinement assembly is an ion trap (e.g., a surface trap or a Paul trap), an optical trapping lattice, a substrate having quantum dots formed and / or disposed thereon, and / or the like. In various embodiments, the confinement assembly is configured to confine one or more particles and / or to trap one or more particles and to control the location of the one or more particles within the confinement assembly.

[0052] In various embodiments, the confinement assembly defines a plurality of particle positions. In various embodiments, one or more of the particle positions correspond to a collection location. In various embodiments, each collection location is configured such that an indication of light emitted by a particle at the corresponding respective particle location and / or a corresponding induced signal / beam is detectable at the collection location and / or impinges on the collection location.

[0053] In various embodiments, the induced signal and / or beam is used to interact with the trapped particles and / or to cause an interaction between the trapped particles so as to cause a controlled evolution of the quantum state of one or more particles trapped by the confinement assembly. For example, the induced signal can be used to ionize one or more particles, to initialize the particles in a pre-determined quantum state, to initialize the particles in a defined set of quantum states (e.g., a defined qubit space and / or the like), to perform a quantum gate (e.g., a single qubit gate, a two qubit gate, and / or the like) on the particles, to perform a readout operation to determine the quantum state of the particles, and / or for the like.

[0054] In various embodiments, one or more signal manipulation elements are disposed and / or mounted with respect to the confinement assembly, such that the signal manipulation elements form at least a portion of respective optical paths between respective particle positions and respective manipulation sources and / or photodetectors.

[0055] In various embodiments, at least one of the signal manipulation elements is disposed on the surface of a first substrate on which the confinement assembly is formed and / or disposed, and / or is at least partially disposed within the first substrate on which the confinement assembly is formed and / or disposed. For example, the confinement assembly is formed on the first substrate, and in various embodiments, at least one signal manipulation element is formed and / or disposed on the surface of the first substrate. As should be understood, the first substrate can include multiple layers of circuitry configured to control various elements / components of the operation of the confinement assembly.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one of the signal manipulation elements is part of the confinement assembly and is recessed and / or indented relative to the surface of the confinement assembly. For example, at least one signal manipulation element can be positioned in a fabricated layer that is within the first substrate and / or not directly on the surface defined by the plane of the confinement assembly. For example, it is possible for there to be a hole or opening in the surface of the confinement assembly, and at least one signal manipulation element is recessed therein. In an exemplary embodiment, a transparent layer surrounds at least one signal manipulation element within the hole or opening. Various embodiments provide a confinement assembly having one or more signal manipulation elements formed and / or disposed on the surface of the confinement assembly and / or as part of the first substrate that includes the confinement assembly.

[0057] An exemplary embodiment provides a second substrate on and / or in and / or disposed on which one or more signal manipulation elements are formed and / or disposed in a fixed and / or controlled relationship to the confinement assembly such that manipulation signals (e.g., in the form of induction signals and / or beams) can be provided to the particle positions via respective signal manipulation elements of the second substrate.

[0058] In various embodiments, each signal manipulation element is formed and / or configured to be used in performing one or more functions of the particle system (photoionization, state preparation, qubit detection and / or readout, cooling, shelving, repumping, single qubit gates, or two qubit gates). In an exemplary embodiment, the particle system is a QCCD-based quantum computer. Various other embodiments relate to various other types of particle systems in which particles are trapped and / or confined and the trapped and / or confined particles are interacted with and / or the interaction between the trapped and / or confined particles is caused and / or mediated.

[0059] In various embodiments, each signal manipulation element is configured to provide a resonant response to incident signals and / or beams (e.g., incoming manipulation signals and / or stimulation signals) of respective specific wavelength ranges, similar to the signal manipulation elements described by U.S. Application No. 17 / 653,979, filed Mar. 8, 2022 (Patent Document 1), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. For example, for an incident signal (and / or a portion thereof) characterized by a wavelength within a respective specific wavelength range, the signal manipulation element is induced to emit a controlled induced signal and / or beam (e.g., controlled from the perspective of propagation direction, focus, beam profile, polarization, and / or the like) as a result of the incident signal impinging on the signal manipulation element.

[0060] However, in the case of an incident signal and / or beam (and / or a portion of the incident signal) characterized by one or more wavelengths outside of each respective specific wavelength range, the resulting signal will have a uniform phase delay applied thereto, but will not undergo controlled induced signal focusing, polarization control, beam profile control, and / or the like. In other words, the signal manipulation element can be used as a chromatic filter in various embodiments. For example, one or more signals of various wavelengths, and / or signals containing various wavelengths, can be incident on the signal manipulation element. The chromatic filtering performed by the signal manipulation element (e.g., a metamaterial array configured to have a resonant response for each respective specific wavelength) causes the controlled induced signal to contain only the wavelengths of each respective specific wavelength and / or the wavelengths of each respective specific wavelength range that the signal manipulation element is configured to use therewith. For example, an incoming manipulation signal incident on the signal manipulation element will only be focused onto the corresponding particle positions when the incoming manipulation signal is characterized by wavelengths within each respective specific wavelength range.

[0061] In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is configured such that the characteristics of the induced signal and / or beam are determined based at least in part on the respective state of one or more dynamically controllable optical effects of the signal manipulation element that emits the induced signal and / or beam. Thus, in various embodiments, each particular wavelength range is dynamic and can be changed. For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element can be changed (e.g., through the application of at least one of an electrical signal, an electric field, a magnetic field, an incident signal and / or beam including a particular polarization, an incident signal and / or beam including a particular frequency or frequency range, an incident signal and / or beam having a particular power or within a particular range of powers, mechanical adjustment and / or movement (e.g., controlled via an electrically controlled motor, actuator, and / or the like), the temperature of a nanofabricated element, an electro-optic effect, an acousto-optic effect, a photoelastic effect, and / or the like).

[0062] In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is configured to have two or more manipulation signals incident thereon and to be induced to emit respective induced signals and / or beams in response thereto. For example, the signal manipulation element can be configured to be induced to emit a first induced signal in response to a first manipulation signal of a first wavelength and a first polarization incident thereon while in a first state, the first induced signal having a wavelength corresponding to the first wavelength, having a polarization corresponding to the first polarization, and being directed toward a first portion of a corresponding particle position. The same signal manipulation element, in an exemplary embodiment, is configured to be induced to emit a second induced signal in response to a second manipulation signal of a second wavelength and a second polarization incident thereon when in a second state, the second induced signal having a wavelength corresponding to the second wavelength, having a polarization corresponding to the second polarization, and being directed toward a second portion of a corresponding particle position and / or a different particle position.

[0063] In various embodiments, the first wavelength and the second wavelength are substantially the same, the first state and the second state are the same, and the first polarization and the second polarization are different. In an exemplary embodiment, the first wavelength and the second wavelength are different, the first state and the second state are the same, and the first polarization and the second polarization are substantially the same. In an exemplary embodiment, the first wavelength and the second wavelength are different, the first state and the second state are the same, and the first polarization and the second polarization are different. In an exemplary embodiment, the first wavelength and the second wavelength are substantially the same, the first state and the second state are different, and the first polarization and the second polarization are substantially the same.

[0064] The first portion of the particle position and the second portion of the particle position may or may not overlap, as required for the application. In various embodiments, the first manipulation signal and the second manipulation signal can be provided at least partially simultaneously. For example, the first manipulation signal and the second manipulation signal can be incident on the signal manipulation element simultaneously for at least a portion of the time when the first manipulation signal and / or the second manipulation signal is incident on the signal manipulation element. In an exemplary embodiment, the first manipulation signal and the second manipulation signal are provided separately (e.g., not overlapping in time; this may be the case even when the first state and the second state are different).

[0065] In various embodiments, the interaction control element is configured to be induced to emit an induced signal and / or a beam in response to an incoming manipulation signal and / or an emission signal within a corresponding wavelength range being incident thereon. For example, the functions of each of a quantum computer and / or a trapped particle system can be associated with one or more wavelengths. Accordingly, each signal manipulation element can correspond to one or more functions of a quantum computer and / or a trapped particle system, where the one or more functions of the quantum computer and / or the trapped particle system correspond to wavelengths within the wavelength range in which each signal manipulation element is configured to operate. In various embodiments, the state of the dynamic optical effect of the signal manipulation element can determine which function of the quantum computer and / or the trapped particle system the signal manipulation element is configured to perform at that time.

[0066] In various embodiments, each signal manipulation element is associated with one or more corresponding particle positions defined by a confinement assembly. In various embodiments, the one or more particle positions defined by the confinement assembly are associated with the arrangement of signal manipulation elements including a plurality of signal manipulation elements. In various embodiments, each signal manipulation element of the arrangement of signal manipulation elements associated with the confinement assembly is configured to be used in performing one or more functions (e.g., photoionization, state preparation, qubit detection and / or readout, cooling, shelving, repumping, single qubit gates, two qubit gates, emission signal detection, and / or the like) of a quantum computer and / or a trapped particle system. For example, the execution of various functions of a quantum computer and / or a trapped particle system can include the use of manipulation signals and / or the detection of stimulation signals of various wavelengths. The various signal manipulation elements and / or the various states of the various signal manipulation elements are configured to be used at different wavelengths, such that a particular signal manipulation element of the arrangement of signal manipulation elements is configured to be used when performing one or more corresponding functions of a quantum computer and / or a trapped particle system at a corresponding particle position.

[0067] In various embodiments, various incident signals and / or beams are near and / or generated by the particle. For example, the particle is capable of emitting a stimulation signal, which causes an induction signal to be emitted towards a corresponding collection location upon incidence on a signal manipulation element. In another example, the manipulation source can be at least partially formed and / or disposed on and / or in a first substrate on which the confinement assembly is formed and / or disposed. In another example, the manipulation source can be at least partially formed and / or disposed on and / or in a second substrate that is attached to the confinement assembly in a fixed and / or controllable manner. In various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources at least partially formed and / or disposed in and / or on the first and / or second substrate include a non-coherent optical source. In various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources at least partially formed and / or disposed in and / or on the first and / or second substrate include a coherent optical source.

[0068] Conventionally, the laser beam is transmitted parallel to the plane of the ion trap so that the laser beam is incident on the ions within the ion trap. As a result, the laser beam is generated at a predetermined distance from the ion trap and provided to a location within the ion trap. However, with respect to ion traps that are two-dimensional and / or have larger dimensions, it is difficult to focus the laser beam on the ions within the ion trap without clipping the edges of the ion trap. The larger the ion trap and the larger the number of ions within the trap, the more technically difficult it becomes to address specific ions with a specific laser beam without disturbing other ions within the ion trap and with the necessary control over the various aspects of the specific laser beam. Thus, there are technical problems regarding how to provide a manipulation signal to a particle position defined by a confinement assembly that can scale with the size and / or dimensions of the confinement assembly and / or the number of particles trapped and / or confined by the confinement assembly.

[0069] Various embodiments provide technical solutions to these technical problems. In particular, in various embodiments, the manipulation signal is sent in a direction transverse to the plane of the confinement assembly (e.g., approximately perpendicular, at an angle of approximately 45 degrees, and / or the like). For example, the manipulation signal is sent so as to direct a signal manipulation element such that it is incident on the signal manipulation element and emits a guiding signal directed towards the corresponding particle position. In other words, the signal management systems of the various embodiments use a signal manipulation element to enable the manipulation signal to be provided in a direction transverse to the plane of the confinement assembly.

[0070] Moreover, various embodiments provide signal manipulation elements having controllable optical effects. For example, the dynamically controllable optical effects are controlled and / or affected by electrical signals, electric fields, incident signals and / or beam polarization, mechanical adjustments and / or movement (e.g., controlled via electrically controlled motors, actuators, and / or the like), temperature of the nanophotonic element, electro-optic effects, acousto-optic effects, photoelastic effects, and / or the like. The induced signal and / or beam is at least partially characterized by properties determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element when the induced signal and / or beam is emitted by the signal manipulation element. Some non-limiting examples of properties of the induced signal and / or beam that can be determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element include beam position / angle (direction of propagation of the induced signal / beam), focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power (e.g., amplitude), chromatic filtering, and / or the like.

[0071] The dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element enables the signal manipulation element to be used for modulation control (e.g., switching the signal and / or beam on and / or off, adjusting / optimizing the amplitude or power of the signal and / or beam, adjusting / optimizing the optical phase of the signal and / or beam, adjusting / optimizing the polarization of the signal and / or beam, adjusting / optimizing the frequency of the signal and / or beam, beam steering / switching, adjusting the focal length and / or focal shape, providing a fully reconfigurable hologram projection, and / or the like).

[0072] Accordingly, various embodiments provide technical solutions to the technical problem of how to provide a manipulation signal to a particle position defined by a confinement assembly such that the manipulation signal is not sent parallel to the confinement assembly plane so that the manipulation signal can be effectively provided to a two-dimensional ion trap. Various embodiments provide further technical solutions by enabling the use of longer wavelength (e.g., infrared) manipulation signals that are used to generate induction signals of a desired frequency (e.g., visible and / or UV). Various embodiments provide further technical solutions by providing additional and configurable control over the application of the manipulation signal to the particle position.

[0073] Additionally, detecting the quantum state of a particle also presents challenges due to the large field of view required for optics to collect and / or detect signals emitted by the particle in a large and / or two-dimensional confinement assembly. Various embodiments provide technical solutions to these technical problems by assisting in collecting and / or directing the emitted signal so that the signal emitted by the particle is more efficiently captured, detected, and / or measured. For example, a signal manipulation element can be arranged and / or configured such that an induction signal and / or a beam is emitted towards respective collection locations in response to a stimulation signal emitted by the particle impinging on the signal manipulation element. In various embodiments, a collection optics and / or a photodetector can be positioned at the collection location such that information regarding the stimulation signal is captured. Accordingly, various embodiments provide solutions to the technical problem of large field of view of determining the quantum state of a particle confined by a large and / or two-dimensional confinement assembly.

[0074] Exemplary Quantum Computing System Comprising an Atomic Object Confinement Assembly In various embodiments, a signal manipulation element that includes active nanophotonics having a controllable optical effect is used to interact with particles and / or to cause / mediate interactions between particles. In various embodiments, the particles are trapped and / or confined atomic objects (e.g., atoms, ions, groups of atoms and / or ions, and / or the like), qubits (e.g., of a quantum processor and / or quantum computer), and / or the like. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the particles are trapped ions used as qubits of a quantum charge coupled device (QCCD)-based quantum computer. FIG. 1 provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary QCCD-based quantum computing system 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. Various other embodiments relate to quantum computers of various other architectures and / or other trapped particle systems.

[0075] FIG. 1 provides a schematic diagram of an exemplary quantum computing system 100 that includes a confinement assembly 200 (e.g., an ion trap and / or the like) according to an exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2-6, in various embodiments, the confinement assembly 200 includes and / or is associated with a signal management system that includes a plurality of signal manipulation elements. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 5, and 6, in various embodiments, the plurality of signal manipulation elements are formed and / or disposed on the surface of the confinement assembly and / or are at least partially embedded in a substrate on which the confinement assembly is formed and / or disposed.

[0076] In various embodiments, at least a portion of the signal manipulation elements formed and / or disposed on the surface of the confinement assembly is induced to emit a guiding signal towards respective particle positions in response to an incoming signal impinging thereon and / or is configured to be focused over respective particle positions. The incoming signal is at least a portion of a manipulation signal generated by the manipulation source 60 of the quantum computer 110. In various embodiments, at least one signal manipulation element formed and / or disposed on the surface of the confinement assembly is induced to emit a guiding signal towards a collection location corresponding to respective particle positions (e.g., where a corresponding collection optical element is disposed) in response to an emission signal emitted by a particle positioned at respective particle positions impinging on the signal manipulation element and / or is configured to be focused over that collection location. One or more characteristics of the guiding signal are determined based on the state of a dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element when the manipulation signal and / or a stimulation signal impinge on the signal manipulation element and / or when the guiding signal is emitted by the signal manipulation element. Some non-limiting examples of characteristics of the guiding signal and / or beam that may be determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element include beam position / angle (direction of propagation of the guiding signal / beam), focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power (e.g., amplitude), chromatic filtering, and / or the like.

[0077] In various embodiments, the quantum computing system 100 includes a computing entity 10 and a quantum computer 110. In various embodiments, the quantum computer 110 includes a controller 30, a cryostat and / or a vacuum chamber 40 surrounding a confinement assembly 200 (e.g., an ion trap), and one or more manipulation sources 60. For example, the cryostat and / or the vacuum chamber 40 can be a pressure-controlled chamber. In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation signal generated by the manipulation source 60 is provided inside the cryostat and / or the vacuum chamber 40 (where the atomic object confinement assembly 200 is located) via a corresponding optical path 66 (e.g., 66A, 66B, 66C). In various embodiments, the optical path 66 is at least partially defined by one or more components and / or elements of the signal management system. For example, at least one of the optical paths 66 includes and / or is partially defined by a signal manipulation element of the signal management system.

[0078] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one manipulation source 60 is disposed within the cryostat and / or the vacuum chamber 40. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, one or more manipulation sources 60 are at least partially on and / or in a first substrate on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed and / or disposed, and / or on a second substrate, the second substrate being attached to and / or controllably mounted with respect to the confinement assembly 200 within the cryostat and / or the vacuum chamber 40.

[0079] In an exemplary embodiment, one or more manipulation sources 60 can include one or more coherent optical sources and / or one or more incoherent optical sources. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, one or more manipulation sources 60 can include one or more lasers (e.g., optical lasers, microwave sources, VECSELs, VCSELs, and / or the like). In various embodiments, each manipulation source 60 is configured to generate a manipulation signal having a respective characteristic wavelength in the microwave, infrared, visible, or ultraviolet portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. In various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources 60 are configured to manipulate and / or cause the development of a controlled quantum state of one or more particles confined and / or trapped by the confinement assembly 200. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, one or more manipulation sources 60 include one or more lasers, and the lasers can provide one or more laser beams (e.g., as manipulation signals) to particles confined and / or trapped by the confinement assembly 200 within the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40.

[0080] For example, the manipulation source 60 generates a manipulation signal that is provided as an incoming signal to a suitable signal manipulation element of the signal management system. An incoming signal incident on a signal manipulation element, such as an active metamaterial array (e.g., having one or more dynamically controllable optical effects), induces a plurality of metamaterial structures of the metamaterial array to emit an induced signal, which is directed and / or focused towards a corresponding particle position of the confinement assembly. For example, the manipulation source 60 can be configured to generate one or more manipulation signals and / or beams, which can be used to initialize particles to a state in the qubit space so that the particles can be used as qubits of the quantum computer 110, execute one or more gates on one or more qubits of the quantum computer 110, read out and / or determine the state of one or more qubits of the quantum computer 110, and / or for similar purposes.

[0081] In various embodiments, the manipulation signal is configured to cause one or more particles to perform various functions of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems. An exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is photoionization of an atomic object. For example, the manipulation signal can be applied to the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements) to photoionize the particle.

[0082] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is state preparation of the particle. For example, one or more manipulation signals can be applied to the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements) to prepare the particle in a specific quantum state. For example, the specific quantum state can be a state within a defined qubit space used by a quantum computer such that the particle can be used as a qubit of the quantum computer.

[0083] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is to read out the quantum state of the particle. For example, a manipulation signal (e.g., a readout signal) can be applied to the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements). When the wave function of the particle collapses to a first state in the qubit space, the particle will fluoresce in response to the readout signal being applied thereto. When the wave function of the particle collapses to a second state in the qubit space, the particle will not fluoresce in response to the readout signal being applied thereto.

[0084] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is to cool the particle or a particle crystal containing the particle. The particle crystal is a pair or set of particles, where one of the particles in the particle crystal is a qubit particle used as a qubit of a quantum computer and one or more other particles of the particle crystal are used to perform sympathetic cooling of the qubit particle. For example, a manipulation signal (e.g., a cooling signal or a sympathetic cooling signal) can be applied to the particle or the particle crystal (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements), causing the (qubit) particle to be cooled (e.g., reducing the vibrational energy and / or other kinetic energy of the (qubit) particle).

[0085] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is shelving the particle. In various embodiments, a particle in the second state of the qubit space can be shelved during the execution of the readout function. For example, the shelving operation can include causing the quantum state of a particle in the second state of the qubit space to evolve into at least a metastable state outside the qubit space while the readout operation is being performed. An exemplary shelving process is described by U.S. Application No. 63 / 200,263, filed Feb. 25, 2021 (Patent Document 2), although various other shelving processes can also be used in various embodiments. In various embodiments, shelving of the particle is performed by applying one or more manipulation signals to the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements) to cause the quantum state of the particle to evolve into at least a metastable state outside the qubit space when the particle is in the second state of the qubit space.

[0086] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is (optical) repumping of the particle. In various embodiments, repumping of the particle includes applying one or more manipulation signals to the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements) to cause the quantum state of the particle to evolve into an excited state.

[0087] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is performing a single qubit gate on the particle. For example, one or more manipulation signals can be applied to the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements) to perform a single qubit quantum gate on the particle.

[0088] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is to perform two qubit gates on the particle. For example, one or more manipulation signals are applied to a pair or set of particles including the particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements), and it is possible to perform two qubit (or three, four, or more qubits) quantum gates on the particle and at least one other particle.

[0089] In various embodiments, the quantum computer 110 includes an optics collection system 70, and the optics collection system 70 is configured to collect and / or detect photons generated by qubits (e.g., during a readout procedure). The optics collection system 70 can include one or more optical elements (e.g., lenses, mirrors, waveguides, optical fiber cables, and / or the like) and one or more photodetectors. In various embodiments, the photodetector can be a photodiode, a photomultiplier tube, a charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor, a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensor, and / or other photodetectors sensitive to light at the expected fluorescence wavelengths of the qubits of the quantum computer. In various embodiments, the detector can communicate electronically with the controller 30 via one or more A / D converters 725 (see FIG. 7) and / or the like. For example, the particle being read and / or the particle whose quantum state is being determined can emit a stimulation signal, at least a portion of which is incident on a signal manipulation element of the signal management system. The incident signal incident on the signal manipulation element induces the signal manipulation element to emit an induced signal, and the induced signal is directed and / or focused toward the collection optics of the confinement assembly and is positioned at a collection location corresponding to the particle position occupied by the particle. The collection optics are configured to provide the collection signal to the photodetector.

[0090] In various embodiments, the quantum computer 110 includes one or more voltage sources 50. For example, the voltage source 50 can include a plurality of voltage drivers and / or voltage sources and / or at least one RF driver and / or voltage source. The voltage source 50 can be electrically coupled to corresponding potential generating elements (e.g., electrodes) of the confinement assembly 200 in an exemplary embodiment.

[0091] In various embodiments, the computing entity 10 is configured to enable a user to provide an input to the quantum computer 110 (e.g., via a user interface of the computing entity 10), and to receive, view, and / or otherwise obtain an output from the quantum computer 110. The computing entity 10 can communicate with the controller 30 of the quantum computer 110 via one or more wired or wireless networks 20 and / or via direct wired and / or wireless communication. In an exemplary embodiment, the computing entity 10 can translate, configure, format, and / or otherwise provide information / data, quantum computing algorithms and / or circuits, and / or the like into a computing language, executable instructions, command set, and / or the like that can be understood and / or implemented by the controller 30.

[0092] In various embodiments, the controller 30 controls a voltage source 50, a cryostat system and / or a vacuum system that controls temperature and pressure in the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40, a manipulation source 60, an optics collection system 70, the states of various signal manipulation elements, and / or various environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, and / or the like) in the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40, and / or manipulates one or more particles in the confinement assembly, and / or is configured to control other systems such that a controlled evolution of their quantum state is caused. For example, the controller 30 can cause a controlled evolution of the quantum state of one or more particles in the confinement assembly to execute a quantum circuit and / or algorithm. For example, the controller 30 can cause a readout procedure including coherent shelving to be executed, optionally as part of executing a quantum circuit and / or algorithm. In various embodiments, the particles confined within the confinement assembly are used as qubits of the quantum computer 110.

[0093] Exemplary signal management system In various embodiments, the signal management system is configured to control the provision and / or collection of signals to and / or from respective particle positions defined by the confinement assembly 200. In various embodiments, the signal management system defines an optical path used to provide signals to respective particle positions and / or collection locations. The optical path includes respective signal manipulation elements. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation elements are configured to allow the optical path to be transverse to the surface 208 (see FIG. 2) of the confinement assembly 200.

[0094] Various embodiments are disclosed in which the surface 208 of the confinement assembly 200 includes one or more signal manipulation elements. For example, in various embodiments, the surface 208 of the confinement assembly 200 includes an arrangement of signal manipulation elements for each atomic object location 250 defined by the confinement assembly 200. Various embodiments are disclosed in which the first substrate 810, on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed, is transparent at one or more wavelengths and / or includes waveguides and / or vias through which incoming manipulation signals and / or outgoing guiding signals can propagate. Various embodiments are disclosed in which the second substrate 910 is attached to the confinement assembly 200 in a fixed and / or controllable relationship, and the signal manipulation elements (and / or the arrangement of signal manipulation elements) are formed and / or disposed on the surface of the second substrate (see examples of such in FIG. 4).

[0095] In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element includes active nanophotonic devices, components, surfaces, arrays, and / or the like. Some exemplary active nanophotonic devices, components, surfaces, arrays, and / or the like include metasurfaces, metamaterials, photonic crystals, diffractive optical elements, microfabricated surfaces configured to perform signal control functions (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like), and / or the like having dynamically controllable optical effects. In various embodiments, one or more characteristics of the induced signal emitted by the signal manipulation element are determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the nanophotonic device, component, surface, array, and / or the like of the signal manipulation element. Some non-limiting examples of characteristics of the induced signal and / or beam that can be determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the nanophotonic device, component, surface, array, and / or the like of the signal manipulation element (also referred to herein as the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element) include beam position / angle (direction of propagation of the induced signal / beam), focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power (e.g., amplitude), and / or the like.

[0096] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate exemplary embodiments in which signal manipulation elements 220 are formed, deposited, and / or disposed on surface 208 of confinement assembly 200. FIG. 2 illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of confinement assembly 200, where signal manipulation element 220 is used to apply a manipulation signal to particle location 250. For example, controller 30 controls one or more manipulation sources 60 to generate a manipulation signal. The manipulation signal is provided to confinement assembly 200 as an incoming and / or incident signal 260 that propagates in a direction transverse to the plane defined by surface 208 of confinement assembly 200 such that incoming and / or incident signal 260 impinges on signal manipulation element 220. The incoming and / or incident signal 260 impinging on signal manipulation element 220 causes respective induced signals 265 to be emitted toward corresponding particle locations 250. For example, induced signal 265 impinges on particle 5 located at particle location 250. For example, signal manipulation element 220 shown in FIG. 2 is an action element. As used herein, an action element is a signal manipulation element configured to provide an induced action signal to respective particle locations in response to an incoming signal generated by manipulation source 60 impinging on the action element. In the illustrated embodiment, the action element is formed on a portion of surface 208 of confinement assembly 200.

[0097] The signal manipulation element 220 includes active nanophotonics having a dynamically controllable optical effect. In an exemplary embodiment, the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 220 is configured such that by applying an electrical signal to at least a portion of the signal manipulation element 220, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect can be changed, adjusted, modified, controlled, and / or the like. For example, via 210 is defined, formed, and / or etched through the first substrate 205, and the signal line 215 enables a control electrical signal to be provided to the signal manipulation element 220. For example, the controller 30 can control the voltage source 50 to apply a control electrical signal to the signal manipulation element 220 via the signal line 215 extending through the via 210.

[0098] As should be understood, various dynamically controllable optical effects are controlled through various means. For example, the dynamically controllable optical effect is controlled and / or affected by an electrical signal, an electric field, a magnetic field, an incident signal and / or beam polarization, an incident signal and / or beam frequency, an incident signal and / or beam power, mechanical adjustment and / or movement (e.g., controlled via an electrically controlled motor, actuator, and / or the like), the temperature of the nanophotonic element, an electro-optic effect, an acousto-optic effect, a photoelastic effect, and / or the like in various embodiments. The first substrate 205 can be modified as needed for the application and / or can include components configured to enable control of the dynamically controllable optical effect by the controller 30 (e.g., via one or more intervening components such as the voltage source 50 and / or the like).

[0099] Figure 3 shows a partial cross-sectional view of the confinement assembly 200, where the signal manipulation element 220 is used to collect emission signals and / or stimulation signals generated by the particles 5 at their respective particle positions 250. For example, during the execution of a qubit readout function, for instance, the particle 5 positioned at the particle position 250 can be caused to emit an emission signal and / or a stimulation signal 270. At least a portion of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal 270 impinges on the signal manipulation element 220. At least a portion of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal 270 impinging on the signal manipulation element 220 causes an induced collection signal 275 to be emitted from the signal manipulation element 220 towards the corresponding collection location 255. In various embodiments, the collection optics are positioned and / or disposed at the collection location 255. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the collection optics includes one or more optical elements such as a collection lens 330 configured to couple at least a portion of the collection signal 275 into the collection fiber 310.

[0100] For example, the signal manipulation element 220 shown in FIG. 3 is a collection element. As used herein, a collection element is a signal manipulation element 220 configured to provide an induced collection signal 275 to a corresponding collection location 255 in response to an emission signal and / or a stimulation signal 270 emitted by a particle positioned at a corresponding particle position impinging on the collection element. In various embodiments, the collection element is collimated, focused, and / or otherwise (in response to the emission signal impinging thereon) configured to provide an induced collection signal to a collection optics positioned at a collection location 255 corresponding to each particle position 250.

[0101] In various embodiments, the collection element is generally disposed between the corresponding particle location 250 and the surface 208 of the confinement assembly 200. In various embodiments, the collection element is configured to collect emission signals and / or stimulation signals 270 from a large solid angle around each particle location 250. For example, the collection element can be positioned and sized to collect and / or direct an emission signal and / or stimulation signal that is emitted into and / or approaches approximately 2π steradians. For example, from the perspective of the particle location 250, the collection element can include a solid angle around the particle location 250 that is π, 1.25π, 1.5π, 1.75π, and / or greater than approximately 2π steradians.

[0102] FIG. 4 illustrates another configuration where a second substrate 405 having one or more signal manipulation elements 420 (e.g., 420A, 420B, 420C) formed and / or disposed on and / or within the second substrate 405 is fixedly and / or controllably attached to the confinement assembly 200 such that manipulation signals can be provided to the particle positions 250 via the respective signal manipulation elements 420 of the second substrate 405. For example, one or more action elements 420A, 420B are formed and / or disposed on a first surface 408 of the second substrate 405 in an exemplary embodiment. For example, one or more collection elements 420C are formed and / or disposed on the first surface 408 of the second substrate 405 in an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more action elements 420A, 420B and / or collection elements 420C are recessed and / or formed within the second substrate 405. The signal manipulation element 420 is a transparent signal manipulation element. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element 420 is formed on a second surface 402 of the second substrate 405 and / or within the second substrate 405 (e.g., between the second surface 402 and the first surface 408).

[0103] In various embodiments, the second substrate 405 is transparent to light of various wavelengths, where the various wavelengths are wavelengths that can be used to perform one or more functions of a quantum computer or other trapped particle system, and / or include the wavelengths of emitted signals and / or stimulation signals. For example, the second substrate 405 is, in an exemplary embodiment, transparent to light of various wavelengths that characterize respective manipulation signals used by a quantum computer or other trapped particle system. In an exemplary embodiment, the second substrate 405 includes waveguides, vias, and / or the like, which enable light to pass through the second substrate from the second surface 402 of the second substrate 405 to the first surface 408 of the second substrate 405, where the first surface 408 of the second substrate 405 faces the confinement assembly 200.

[0104] For example, a manipulation signal is provided to the confinement assembly 200 via the second surface 408 of the second substrate 405. The manipulation signal propagates from the second surface 408 through the second substrate 405 to the first surface 402 (e.g., through the bulk material, waveguides, vias, and / or the like of the second substrate 405). The manipulation signal is incident on respective action elements 420A, 420B. For example, the signal manipulation element 420 is an active nanofabricated lens, and the active nanofabricated lens is a lens, a lens-shaped photonic metasurface, and / or the like. For example, the action elements 420A, 420B act as lenses, resulting in an action signal 265 being incident on the particle 5 positioned at the particle position 250. In various embodiments, the action arrays 420A, 420B cause respective action signals to have respective specific polarizations, phases, beam profiles (e.g., beam spot size at the particle position 250, intensity profile across the beam at the particle position, and / or the like), and / or the like. When the action signal is incident on and / or passes through the particle position 250, the action signal is reflected from the surface 208 of the confinement assembly 200. In an exemplary embodiment, the area of the second surface 402 corresponding to the particle position 250 is irradiated by one or more manipulation signals, and the action elements 420A, 420B perform chromatic filtering such that appropriate action signals are provided to the particle position 250 in a manner appropriate for the function being performed.

[0105] In various instances, particle 5 positioned at particle location 250 is capable of emitting an emission signal and / or a stimulation signal 270. The emission signal is incident on collection element 420C. Collection element 420C acts as a lens and provides a focused and / or collimated collection signal 275 from its first surface 408 to its second surface 402 through the second substrate 405 (e.g., through the bulk material of the second substrate 405, waveguides, vias, and / or the like). Collection optics 430 can be disposed proximate to the second surface 402 of the second substrate 405 such that collection signal 275 is incident on collection optics 430 corresponding to particle location 250 to enable detection of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal.

[0106] In an exemplary embodiment, the action element is disposed and / or formed on the second substrate 405, as shown in FIG. 4, and the collection element is disposed and / or formed on the first substrate 405 (e.g., on the surface 208 of the confinement assembly 200), similar to that shown in FIG. 3. In an exemplary embodiment, the action element is disposed and / or formed on the first substrate 205 (e.g., on the surface 208 of the confinement assembly 200), similar to that shown in FIG. 2, and the collection element is formed on the second substrate 405, as shown in FIG. 4. In another exemplary embodiment, some of the action elements are disposed and / or formed on the first substrate 205, and some of the action elements are disposed and / or formed on the second substrate 405. For example, the first substrate 205 can be transparent to light characterized by wavelengths in a first wavelength range, and the second substrate 405 can be transparent to light characterized by wavelengths in a second wavelength range. The action elements (and / or other signal manipulation elements) corresponding to wavelengths in the first wavelength range can be formed and / or disposed on the first substrate 205, such that the corresponding manipulation signals can propagate through the first substrate to the respective action elements, and the action elements (and / or other signal manipulation elements) corresponding to wavelengths in the second wavelength range can be formed and / or disposed on the second substrate 405, such that the corresponding manipulation signals can propagate through the second substrate to the respective action elements.

[0107] In various embodiments, at least some of the signal manipulation elements 420 include active nanophotonics having a dynamically controllable optical effect. In an exemplary embodiment, the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 420 is configured such that by applying an electrical signal to at least a portion of the signal manipulation element 420, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect can be changed, adjusted, modified, controlled, and / or the like. For example, via 410 is defined, formed, and / or etched in the second substrate 405, enabling signal line 415 to provide a control electrical signal to signal manipulation element 420. For example, controller 30 can control voltage source 50 to apply a control electrical signal to signal manipulation element 420 via signal line 415 extending through via 410. In another example, signal line 415 can be formed as leads and / or traces on the first surface 408 of the second substrate, such that signal line 415 is electrically communicative with and / or operably connected to signal manipulation element 420 and controller 30 (e.g., via voltage source 50 and / or the like in some cases).

[0108] At least one of the signal manipulation elements 220, 420 includes active nanofotonics, such as a metasurface, metamaterial, photonic crystal, diffractive optical element, a microfabricated surface configured to perform a signal control function (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like), and / or the like, having a dynamically controllable optical effect. In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element is controlled and / or affected by a change in one or more physical parameters of the signal manipulation element and / or by a change in one or more physical parameters that affect the signal manipulation element. Some exemplary physical parameters that can be used to control and / or affect the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element include, in various embodiments, an electrical signal, an electric field, an incident signal and / or beam polarization, a mechanical adjustment and / or movement (e.g., controlled via an electrically controlled motor, actuator, and / or the like), the temperature of a nanofotonic element, an electro-optic effect, an acousto-optic effect, a photoelastic effect, and / or the like.

[0109] In various embodiments, at least one signal manipulation element 220, 420 includes an active metasurface. In various embodiments, the active metasurface is coated and / or encapsulated with a capsule material. The optical effect of the active metasurface strongly depends on the refractive index contrast between the metasurface and the capsule material. Thus, modifying the refractive index of the metasurface and / or the capsule material results in a change in the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the corresponding signal manipulation element.

[0110] In various embodiments, the metasurface is a solid-state metasurface, and the refractive index of the metasurface or the encapsulation material can be modified and / or controlled by electrically or optically modifying the concentration of free charge carriers in the bulk material of the metasurface or the encapsulation material. For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the corresponding signal manipulation element can be modified and / or controlled through the application of a control electrical signal and / or a control optical signal. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, at least one signal manipulation element 220, 420 includes a passive metasurface and a cladding and / or substrate portion of the metasurface on which the metasurface is formed and / or disposed, where the cladding or substrate portion has controllable optical properties (e.g., a controllable refractive index). For example, in an exemplary embodiment, at least one signal manipulation element includes a passive metasurface and an optically active cladding, and / or is formed on an optically active substrate portion (e.g., the cladding and / or substrate portion has a dynamically controllable refractive index).

[0111] In various embodiments, the encapsulation material of the metasurface is a liquid crystal material. The refractive index of the liquid crystal encapsulation material can be modified through the application of a control electrical signal to the signal manipulation element.

[0112] In various embodiments, the metasurface and / or the encapsulation material is a phase change material (e.g., vanadium dioxide (VO 2It includes (( )). For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the corresponding signal manipulation element can be modified and / or controlled through the application of a control electrical signal, a control electric field, a control magnetic field, and / or a control optical signal to the signal manipulation element, or by controlling the temperature of the signal manipulation element.

[0113] In various embodiments, various electro-optic effects, acousto-optic effects, or photoelastic effects are used, as required for the application, to control the refractive index of the metasurface and / or the encapsulating material. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element can include an array of metasurface elements (e.g., pillars and / or holes), a surface or substrate on which the metasurface elements are formed, and / or a cladding disposed around and / or between the metasurface elements (or, if the metasurface elements are holes, within the metasurface elements). The electro-optic effect, acousto-optic effect, or photoelastic effect can affect the refractive index of the metasurface element, the surface or substrate on which the metasurface element is formed, and / or the cladding. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the cladding is a liquid crystal cladding, where the refractive index of the liquid crystal cladding can be modified and / or controlled through the application of an electric field or a magnetic field thereto.

[0114] In various embodiments, one or more physical parameters of the active nanophotonics of the signal manipulation element are changed through mechanical deformation. For example, when the active nanophotonics includes an active metasurface, the physical size of the metasurface elements (e.g., pillars and / or holes) and / or the spacing between the metasurface elements can be modified to control the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element.

[0115] For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the piezoelectric effect or material thermal expansion is used to modify the size, shape, and / or spacing of the metasurface elements of an exemplary signal manipulation element's metasurface.

[0116] In another example, the metasurface is coated and / or encapsulated by an elastic and / or resilient encapsulation material. Mechanical strain can be applied to the elastic and / or resilient encapsulation material to control the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element (e.g., the material can be stretched / elongated and / or compressed in one or more directions).

[0117] In an exemplary embodiment, the relative tilt of the metasurface (e.g., with respect to the surface 208 of the first substrate 205 or the first surface 408 of the second substrate 405) can be used to control the incident angle of the signal incident on the signal manipulation element. For example, controlling the incident angle of the signal incident on the signal manipulation element can be used to modify the metasurface effect (e.g., to control the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element) and / or to perform beam steering. In various embodiments, the relative tilt of the signal manipulation element and / or its metasurface is performed macroscopically (e.g., by macroscopic actuators, motors, and / or the like) or using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

[0118] In various embodiments, one or more physical parameters of the active nanophotonics of the signal manipulation element are changed through the polarization rotation of the incident signal and / or beam. For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element is determined based on the polarization of the signal and / or beam incident on the signal manipulation element. For example, an exemplary metasurface of the signal manipulation element is configured and / or designed to have polarization-dependent effects. For example, the exemplary metasurface is configured and / or designed to focus light at an off-axis angle of +10 degrees with respect to a signal or beam having a first polarization and at an off-axis angle of -10 degrees with respect to a signal or beam having a second polarization, where the first polarization and the second polarization are orthogonal to each other. Thus, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element can be controlled by adjusting the polarization of the incident signal. For example, the polarization of the incident signal or beam is used to selectively distribute the induced signal between two foci. This can be used for amplitude adjustment, switching between providing the induced signal to two different particle positions, effective beam steering, and / or the like.

[0119] In various embodiments, one or more physical parameters of the active nanophotonics of the signal manipulation element are changed in response to the power or power range of the incident signal and / or the frequency and / or frequency range present in the incident signal. For example, an exemplary metasurface of the signal manipulation element is configured and / or designed to have frequency and / or power-dependent effects. For example, the exemplary metasurface can be configured and / or designed to focus light at an off-axis angle of +10 degrees with respect to a signal or beam characterized by a frequency profile within a particular frequency range and at an off-axis angle of -10 degrees with respect to a signal or beam characterized by a frequency profile not within a particular frequency range.

[0120] In various embodiments, one or more physical parameters of the active nanophotonics of the signal manipulation element are changed through variable optical losses. In various embodiments, for example, materials with adjustable optical absorption are used to modulate the amplitude of the induced signal or beam and / or to switch the induced signal between "on" and "off". In an exemplary embodiment, for example, VO, an exemplary phase change material having an insulator-metal transition 2 is used to enable variable optical loss control of the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element. For example, when a phase change material (e.g., VO 2 ) undergoes a phase transition, the optical absorption in a wide range of wavelengths changes substantially, and the phase transition can be used to control the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element including the phase change material.

[0121] The dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element enables the signal manipulation element to be used for modulation control (e.g., switching the signal and / or beam on and / or off, adjusting / optimizing the amplitude or power of the signal and / or beam, adjusting / optimizing the optical phase of the signal and / or beam, adjusting / optimizing the polarization of the signal and / or beam, adjusting / optimizing the frequency of the signal and / or beam, beam steering / switching, adjusting the focal length and / or focal shape, providing a fully reconfigurable hologram projection, and / or the like).

[0122] For example, in various embodiments, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of a signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator to pass a signal to a corresponding particle position (e.g., provide a guiding signal to the particle position) or to reject a signal (e.g., not provide a guiding signal to the particle position). For example, in an exemplary embodiment, a single manipulation source can be coupled to several signal manipulation elements, and the state of each signal manipulation element (e.g., its dynamically controllable optical effect) is used to control where the induced beam is applied and / or provided to the particle positions. Such features can be particularly useful with large confinement assemblies that confine and / or trap a large number of particles therein. In another example, the manipulation signal generated by the manipulation source 60 can be split into multiple signals and / or beams. The signal manipulation elements 220, 420 can be used to control the amplitude, phase, frequency, and polarization of the induced signal and / or beam incident on the particle 5 at each particle position 250. In various embodiments, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect that results in such modulation effects is controlled through the adjustable transmittance / reflection and / or adjustable absorption of the signal manipulation element.

[0123] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for controlling, adjusting, optimizing, and / or the like the amplitude or optical power of an induced signal or beam. For example, a signal manipulation source can be used to provide an incoming signal or beam to a plurality of signal manipulation elements, and the amplitude or optical power of each induced signal or beam is controlled based on the respective state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of each signal manipulation element. For example, the amplitude or optical power of an induced signal or beam to be provided at a particle position in cooperation with another induced signal or beam to be provided at the same particle position (e.g., for performing two-qubit gates, or other functions that require coordinated provisioning of multiple manipulation signals) can be controlled and / or balanced according to functional requirements. In various embodiments, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect that results in such amplitude and / or optical power control effects is controlled through the adjustable transmittance / reflectivity and / or adjustable absorption of the signal manipulation element.

[0124] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for controlling, adjusting, optimizing, and / or the like the phase of an induced signal or beam. For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of a signal manipulation element is used to control the phase of an induced signal applied at a particle position. In an exemplary embodiment, the phase control, adjustment, and / or optimization of a manipulation signal can be used to generate an amplitude adjustment effect through (constructive or destructive) interference with another coherent signal and / or beam.

[0125] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for controlling, adjusting, optimizing, and / or the like, the polarization of an induced signal or beam. Various particle interactions strongly depend on the polarization of the signal or beam incident on the particles. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element provides active fine-tuning control of the polarization of the induced signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the control of the polarization of the induced signal or beam is used as an alternative to amplitude modulation for polarization-dependent interactions.

[0126] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for controlling, adjusting, optimizing, and / or the like, the frequency / wavelength of an induced signal or beam. For example, the frequency of the induced signal can be modified and / or adjusted from the frequency of the incoming manipulation signal to the frequency required to perform the desired interaction. For example, the signal manipulation element can be used to perform selective frequency upconversion and / or downconversion. In an exemplary embodiment, the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element that affects the frequency of the induced signal or beam relative to the frequency of the incident signal or beam is controlled through the non-linear response of the material of the signal manipulation element to the control signal (e.g., the control electrical signal generated by the voltage supply 50) that changes over time.

[0127] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used to control one or more reconfigurable effects of a guiding signal or beam. For example, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element is used in various embodiments to perform beam steering and / or beam switching. For example, a single signal manipulation element is used in an exemplary embodiment to address multiple particle positions. For example, based on the dynamically controllable optical effect state of the signal manipulation element, the signal manipulation element is configured to provide a guiding signal to one or more of the multiple particle positions corresponding to the signal manipulation element. In an exemplary embodiment, such a signal manipulation element 420 is formed and / or disposed on a second substrate 405 and is configured to provide a guiding signal to a corresponding particle position 250 or to a signal manipulation signal 220 formed and / or disposed on a first substrate 205. For example, a first signal manipulation element 420 can distribute a manipulation signal to a second signal manipulation element 220, and the second signal manipulation element 220 modulates various characteristics of the manipulation signal and provides the modulated manipulation signal to respective particle positions 250. In an exemplary embodiment, beam steering is used to optimize beam alignment such that the guiding signal is aligned with an appropriate portion of the particle position 250. For example, beam steering is used to compensate for and / or adjust fabrication errors and / or design errors in alignment. In an exemplary embodiment, beam steering is used to select whether a particular manipulation signal is provided to a particular particle position.

[0128] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used to control the angle at which an induced signal and / or beam propagates. For example, the angle at which the induced signal propagates is controlled through the use of an encapsulant having an adjustable, controllable, and / or dynamically configurable refractive index. For example, a waveguide or manipulation source can be disposed below the surface 208 of a first substrate 205, and the waveguide or manipulation source can be configured to provide a manipulation signal to a particle position at a non-normal incidence. A signal manipulation element having an adjustable, controllable, and / or dynamically configurable refractive index can be used to steer a manipulation signal toward an appropriate particle position. The adjustable, controllable, and / or dynamically configurable refractive index of the signal manipulation element can further be used to fine-tune and / or optimize particle interactions, to compensate for fabrication errors, design errors, and / or alignment errors, and / or to do similar things.

[0129] In various embodiments, the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element can be used to control and / or adjust the focal length and / or focal shape and / or beam profile of an induced signal or beam. In an exemplary embodiment, focal length, focal shape, and / or beam profile control is used, for example, to maximize particle interactions, to account for alignment errors and / or fabrication errors, and / or for similar reasons, to perform fine-tuning of the interaction between an induced signal 265 and a particle 5 positioned at a particle position 250. In an exemplary embodiment, focal length, focal shape, and / or beam profile control is used to perform amplitude adjustment by adjusting the intensity and / or power of the induced signal that intersects the absorption cross section of the particle 5. In various embodiments, the ability to control and / or adjust the focal length and / or focal shape and / or beam profile of an induced signal or beam reduces the optical power requirements of the incoming manipulation signal and provides additional technical and power consumption advantages.

[0130] In various embodiments, control over the dynamically controllable optical effect state of a signal manipulation element is used to generate a fully reconfigurable hologram projection of one or more manipulation signals. For example, a combination of beam steering and / or switching optical effects and adjustable focal length and / or focal shape and / or beam profile can be used to provide a fully reconfigurable hologram projection of one or more manipulation signals. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, fully reconfigurable projection optics enable an initial manipulation signal (e.g., generated by a manipulation source 60) to independently specify multiple particle positions 250, impinge on multiple particle positions 250, and / or control the interactions at multiple particle positions 250.

[0131] In various embodiments, the beam steering / switching and adjustable focal length, focal shape, and / or beam profile modulation and reconfigurable effects are used to generate and / or provide a signal management system that enables the use of a larger confinement assembly and / or a greater number of particles in a system.

[0132] In various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources 60 are positioned within a cryostat and / or a vacuum chamber 40. For example, in various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources are formed and / or disposed on a first substrate 205 (on which the confinement assembly is formed and / or disposed) or on a second substrate. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment, where the manipulation source 60 is a VECSEL 550, and the VECSEL 550 is partially formed on and / or in a second substrate 500 and partially on a first substrate 200. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment, where the manipulation source 60 is a VCSEL 630, and the VCSEL 630 is formed on or in a first substrate 205. In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation source 60 that is a VCSEL can be formed on and / or in second substrates 405, 500. In various embodiments, the VECSEL 550 and / or the VCSEL 630 includes and / or is associated with one or more manipulation signal elements that include active nanophotonics having dynamically controllable optical effects.

[0133] In various embodiments, having a manipulation source 60 at least partially formed and / or disposed on a first substrate 205 (on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed and / or disposed) and / or on a second substrate that is fixed to and / or mounted in a controllable relationship with respect to the first substrate 205 simplifies the optical path required to provide a manipulation signal to the particles 5. In various embodiments, having a manipulation source 60 at least partially formed and / or disposed on a first substrate 205 (on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed and / or disposed) and / or on a second substrate that is fixed to and / or mounted in a controllable relationship with respect to the first substrate 205 also reduces the number of manipulation sources 60 that need to be positioned outside of the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40, thereby also making it possible to reduce the overall size of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems.

[0134] In various embodiments, the manipulation source 60 formed and / or disposed on the first substrate 205 and / or on a second substrate that is fixed to and / or mounted in a controllable relationship with respect to the first substrate 205 includes one or more signal manipulation elements and / or is coupled to one or more signal manipulation elements.

[0135] In various embodiments, one or more signal manipulation elements are integrated into the manipulation source 60 as functional parts of the manipulation source itself. For example, FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment in which the cavity 540 of a VECSEL 550 is at least partially defined by two signal manipulation elements 220, 520.

[0136] In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is coupled to a manipulation source 60 such that one or more characteristics of a signal or beam generated by the manipulation source 60 are modified and / or controlled by the signal manipulation element (e.g., the state of a dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element). For example, FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which a VCSEL 630 is formed on and / or in a first substrate, and a signal manipulation element 220 is positioned over the emission aperture of the VCSEL 630 such that a signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL is modified, conditioned, and / or controlled by the signal manipulation element 220. For example, the signal manipulation element 220 can control the collimation, focusing, frequency, phase, pointing, and / or the like of a signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL 630. For example, the signal manipulation element 220 can be a metasurface lens coupled to the emission aperture of the VCSEL.

[0137] Generally, a VCSEL includes a first reflector, a second reflector, and an active region, the active region including a plurality of quantum well layers configured to generate light. The first reflector and the second reflector define the cavity of the VCSEL. In an exemplary embodiment, one of the first reflector or the second reflector is a signal manipulation element configured to control the collimation and / or focusing of the emitted signal and / or beam, the direction of propagation of the emitted signal and / or beam, and / or the like when emission from the VCSEL is emitted (e.g., through a controllable change in the transmissivity / reflection of the signal manipulation element).

[0138] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment, where a VECSEL 550 is at least partially formed and / or disposed within a second substrate 500 that is fixed and / or mounted in a controllable manner to a first substrate 205 on which a confinement assembly 200 is formed and / or disposed. The VECSEL includes a gain material 530. For example, the gain material can include a semiconductor material configured to generate light through a recombination effect when a voltage difference is applied across the gain material. The VECSEL further includes an external cavity 540 that is at least partially defined by a signal manipulation element 520, and the signal manipulation element 520 is formed and / or disposed on and / or within the second substrate 500 adjacent to and / or proximate to the gain material 530. Also, the external cavity 540 is at least partially defined by a signal manipulation element 220 formed and / or disposed on the first substrate 205.

[0139] In an exemplary embodiment, a voltage is applied to the gain material 530 via a voltage control line 535 that extends through a via 510 through at least a portion of the second substrate 500.

[0140] For example, the signal manipulation elements 520, 220 define the external cavity 540 using a photonic crystal or a similar effect. In various embodiments, the frequency of the signal and / or beam provided by the VECSEL 550 is determined and / or controlled based on the frequency of the light generated by the gain material 530 and the chromatic filtering performed by the external cavity 540 (e.g., a Fabry-Perot cavity).

[0141] In an exemplary embodiment, injection locking and / or seeding is used to further control the frequency and linewidth of the signal and / or beam provided by the VECSEL. In various embodiments, the frequency and / or narrow linewidth requirements of the functions to be performed by the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems are stringent and / or difficult to achieve using a physically small cavity. In such embodiments, an incident laser beam that is characterized by the desired frequency and / or narrow linewidth characteristics, but at low power, can be injected into the external cavity 540 and / or can be used to seed the external cavity 540. The incident laser beam used to injection lock and / or seed the external cavity 540 can be at a substantially lower optical power than the optical power required for the execution of the corresponding function. Seeding of the external cavity 540 can be used to cause the external cavity 540 and / or the VECSEL 550 to generate an optical signal and / or beam having the desired frequency and / or narrow linewidth characteristics.

[0142] Due to the direction control of signals and / or beams provided through the use of signal manipulation elements 520, 220 to define the external cavity 540, the external cavity 540 need not be aligned with the emission axis of the gain material 530. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the external cavity 540 can be angled with respect to the direction of the voltage difference across the gain material 530. For example, the beam directing capabilities of the signal manipulation elements 220, 520 used to define the external cavity 540 enable the definition and / or formation of an angled external cavity. In an exemplary embodiment, the gain material 530 is configured to emit light into the external cavity 540 at an angle that matches and / or aligns with the angle of the external cavity 540. For example, the surface normal 532 of the second substrate forms a non-zero angle φ with the external cavity 540.

[0143] In various embodiments, since the external cavity 540 is angled with respect to the surface normal (e.g., the angle φ is not equal to 0° or 180°), a plurality of VECSELs 550 can be associated with the particle positions 250. For example, a plurality of external cavities 540 each correspond to a VECSEL 550 formed at least partially on / within the first substrate 205 and at least partially on / within the second substrate 500, and in an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of external cavities 540 are formed to intersect each other at the particle positions. This enables the VECSELs 500 formed around the particle position 250 (e.g., the particle position is positioned within the corresponding angled external cavity 540) to be activated to perform different functions at the particle position 250, where the different functions have requirements for different frequencies, polarizations, and / or the like.

[0144] In an exemplary embodiment, to control when and how much (e.g., amplitude and / or power) of the signal and / or beam generated by the VECSEL 550 is directed towards the particle position 250 such that it impinges on one or more particles 5, the state of one of the signal manipulation elements 520, 220 is used. For example, by changing the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 220, it is possible, for example, for a portion of the light in the external cavity to be directed towards the particle position 250.

[0145] In various embodiments, the states of the signal manipulation elements 520, 220 are controlled through control lines 515, 215, respectively. The control lines 515, 215 extend through respective vias 510, 210 through respective substrates. In an exemplary embodiment, the first or second substrate 205, 500 can include one or more traces on its surface, and one or more of the voltage control line 535, control lines 515, 215 can be at least partially embodied as traces on the surface of the respective substrate. For example, some embodiments do not include vias 210, 510.

[0146] In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation elements 220, 520 can also be used to control the polarization of the light in the external cavity 540 and the polarization of the manipulation signal directed from the external cavity 540 towards the particle position 250.

[0147] FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary embodiment, where a VCSEL 630 is formed in a first substrate 205. The VCSEL 630 is controlled by applying a voltage to the VCSEL 630 via a VCSEL control line 635 that extends at least partially through the first substrate 205 through a via 210.

[0148] The signal manipulation element 620 is arranged and / or formed such that light exiting the emission aperture of the VCSEL 630 is incident on the signal manipulation element 620. Thus, the signal manipulation element 620 can be used to control the direction of propagation of the signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL 630; collimation and / or focusing; and / or phase, frequency, polarization, and / or amplitude modulation.

[0149] For example, when the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 620 is in a first state, the signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL 630 is directed towards the first particle position 250A, as indicated by the dashed line in FIG. 6. When the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the manipulation signal 620 is in a second state, the signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL 630 is directed towards the second particle position 250B, as indicated by the dotted line in FIG. 6A. Various other states of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 620 can be defined such that the signal and / or beam can be provided independently at additional particle positions and / or various combinations of particle positions. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element 620 is also used to control the phase, polarization, and / or the like of the signal and / or beam provided to the first particle position 250A (e.g., in the first state), to the second particle position 250B (e.g., in the second state), and / or to other particle positions and / or combinations of particle positions.

[0150] Various other coherent light sources can be incorporated as at least a portion of the manipulation source 60 formed on the first substrate or the second substrate in various embodiments. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the manipulation source 60 formed on the first substrate or the second substrate includes a cavity or a resonant structure, and the cavity or the resonant structure is configured such that the cavity or the resonant structure confines an optical resonance mode or a cavity mode within an array of nanophotonic structures. For example, an exemplary manipulation source 60 according to an exemplary embodiment includes an array of nanophotonic structures that circulate light within each individual nanophotonic structure of the array. As should be understood, a nanophotonic structure is a physical structure configured to interact and / or control optical beams / pulses and / or photons, which is characterized by at least one dimension having a scale equal to or smaller than the wavelength of the interacting light. For example, a nanophotonic structure can include a lattice or crystal structure having nanometer-scale separations (e.g., separations equal to or smaller than the wavelength of the interacting light) between ions, atoms, and / or particles of the lattice or crystal. For example, the ions, atoms, and / or particles of the lattice or crystal can be used with, for example, Fano resonances and / or quasi-bound states in the continuum to provide, for example, high-quality factor resonances.

[0151] Another example of a coherent light source that can be incorporated as at least a portion of a manipulation source 60 formed on the first substrate or the second substrate is a laser that includes a photonic nanostructure that defines a lateral cavity. For example, the lateral cavity can be a crystal or lattice formed by an array of photonic nanostructures. In various embodiments, the lateral cavity is a cavity or resonant structure formed by an array of photonic nanostructures that extends in a direction that is substantially parallel to a plane defined by the surface of the substrate (e.g., the first substrate 205) on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed. In various embodiments, the photonic nanostructure is a photonic crystal cavity defined by a photonic crystal structure. An example of such a laser is a nanocrystal surface-emitting laser (NCSEL). In various embodiments, a laser that includes a lateral cavity and / or a photonic crystal cavity can be formed in the first substrate, similar to the VCSEL 630, or can be formed in the second substrate, similar to the gain material 530 of the VECSEL 550. In an exemplary embodiment, the lateral cavity and / or the photonic crystal cavity of the laser is in a transverse direction and / or orthogonal to the direction in which the manipulation signal is emitted (e.g., parallel to the surface of the first substrate 205 on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed).

[0152] In an exemplary embodiment, a nanophotonic structure (e.g., a photonic crystal structure defining a photonic crystal cavity) that defines a lateral cavity is configured to be a surface that is a signal manipulation element and / or is configured to have one. For example, the nanophotonic structure (e.g., the photonic crystal structure) includes a metasurface in an exemplary embodiment. In an exemplary embodiment, the emission surface of the nanophotonic structure (e.g., the surface of the nanophotonic structure through which light is emitted) has a diffraction effect and / or includes a metasurface (e.g., a metasurface lens). In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element forming a portion of the nanophotonic structure (e.g., the emission surface) is configured to direct and / or control the emission to be sent (from the perspective of, e.g., direction, focus, collimation, polarization, and / or the like). In an exemplary embodiment, the nanophotonic structure also controls the mode of the emitted light.

[0153] In various embodiments, a lateral cavity (e.g., a photonic crystal cavity) is injection locked and / or seeded to control the frequency, linewidth, and / or polarization of a signal and / or beam emitted from the lateral cavity. In various embodiments, the frequency, narrow linewidth, and / or polarization requirements of functions to be performed by a quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems are stringent and / or difficult to achieve using physically small cavities. In such embodiments, an incident laser beam, which is characterized by the desired frequency, narrow linewidth, and / or polarization characteristics but at low power, can be injected into the lateral cavity and / or can be used to seed the lateral cavity. The incident laser beam used to injection lock and / or seed the lateral cavity can be at a substantially lower optical power than the optical power required for the execution of the corresponding function. Seeding of the lateral cavity can be used to cause a laser including the lateral cavity and / or the lateral cavity to generate an optical signal and / or beam having the desired frequency, narrow linewidth, and / or polarization properties.

[0154] For example, FIG. 6B illustrates a manipulation source 60 formed on (and partially on) a first substrate 205 that includes a nanofotonic structure 640 (e.g., a photonic crystal) that defines a lateral cavity (e.g., a photonic crystal cavity), such as a laser 650. For example, the lateral cavity of the laser is transverse and / or orthogonal to the direction in which the manipulation signal is emitted (e.g., parallel to the surface of the first substrate 205 on which the confinement assembly 200 is formed), as indicated by arrow 642. In the illustrated embodiment, the lateral cavity of the nanofotonic structure 640 is seeded by seed photons provided by an external cavity 646. In the illustrated embodiment, the external cavity 646 is at least partially defined by a signal manipulation element and / or a retroreflector 644 disposed on the second substrate 405. For example, a portion of the power (e.g., less than 50%) generated by the laser 650 is provided to an external cavity 646 that is larger than the lateral cavity defined by the nanofotonic structure 640. Thus, the external cavity 646 can be configured to generate a beam and / or pulse (of low power compared to the output of the laser 650), which is then used to seed the lateral cavity defined by the nanofotonic structure 640. For example, the external cavity 646 is configured to generate a beam and / or pulse (of low power compared to the output of the laser 650), which can be used to control the frequency, linewidth, and / or polarization of the signal and / or beam emitted from the lateral cavity defined by the nanofotonic structure 640.

[0155] In various embodiments, laser 650 is controlled by applying a voltage to laser 650 through via 210 and via laser control line 645 that extends at least partially through first substrate 205. Signal manipulation element 620 is arranged and / or formed such that light exiting the emission aperture of the lateral cavity defined by nanofabricated structure 640 (e.g., from the emission aperture of a photonic crystal cavity that embodies nanofabricated structure 640) impinges on signal manipulation element 648. Thus, signal manipulation element 648 can be used to control, in an exemplary embodiment, the direction of propagation of the signal and / or beam emitted by the laser; collimation and / or focusing; and / or phase, frequency, polarization, and / or amplitude modulation. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is a passive diffraction element (e.g., a lens or lens assembly), a passive or active nanofabricated photonic element, and / or the like.

[0156] In various embodiments, various other forms of manipulation source 60 can be formed and / or arranged on first substrate 205 and / or on a second substrate mounted in a fixed and / or controllable relationship with first substrate 205. In an exemplary embodiment, at least one manipulation signal formed and / or arranged on first substrate 205 and / or on a second substrate mounted in a fixed and / or controllable relationship with first substrate 205 is an incoherent manipulation source. For example, the incoherent manipulation source is configured to emit, generate, and / or provide incoherent light.

[0157] In an exemplary embodiment, the incoherent manipulation source includes a signal manipulation element that includes an integrated fluorescent material. The photonic crystal effect of the signal manipulation element can be used to direct and / or focus light generated through the fluorescence of the fluorescent material towards one or more particle positions. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element is further configured to control the polarization of light generated through the fluorescence of the fluorescent material and directed towards one or more particle positions.

[0158] In an exemplary embodiment, the fluorescent material is directly integrated into the metasurface of the signal manipulation element. For example, the fluorescent material can be quantum dots or another light-emitting medium fabricated into the structure forming the metasurface. In another exemplary embodiment, the fluorescent material is indirectly integrated into the metasurface of the signal manipulation element. For example, the metasurface can be formed on top of a fluorescent film.

[0159] In an exemplary embodiment, the incoherent manipulation source includes one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The signal manipulation element can be used to direct and / or focus the light generated by the LEDs towards one or more particle positions. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element is further configured to control the polarization of light generated by the LEDs and directed towards one or more particle positions.

[0160] In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation signal generated by the incoherent manipulation source is used to effect photoionization of the particles loaded into the confinement assembly. For example, when the confinement assembly 200 is an ion trap, neutral atoms can be loaded into the ion trap and then photoionized to generate trapped ions that are used as particles of the system.

[0161] As described above, the signal manipulation element can be used to effect frequency modulation of a signal and / or a beam. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is used to effect frequency conversion of a signal and / or a beam. Such frequency conversion effects can be combined with focusing and / or directing and / or pointing of the frequency-converted signal and / or beam.

[0162] For example, in various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is configured to generate a second or higher harmonic of the incident beam and / or signal. For example, the frequency of the induced beam can be characterized by a second or higher harmonic of the incident beam or signal, and / or the frequency profile of the induced beam can include a second or higher harmonic of the incident beam or signal.

[0163] In various embodiments, the frequency conversion performed by the signal manipulation element on the incident beam and / or signal changes over time. For example, the signal manipulation element can include a metasurface that changes over time, and as the physical parameters of the metasurface rapidly change with respect to the interaction time between the incident signal and / or beam and the signal manipulation element, it is configured to modify the frequency of the induced signal and / or beam. The interaction time of the incident signal and / or beam interacting with the signal manipulation element is extended in exemplary embodiments through the use of high-Q (e.g., underdamped and / or low-loss) resonances. For example, the physical parameters of the metasurface can be the refractive index of the metasurface, the effective phase response of the metasurface, and / or the like.

[0164] In various embodiments, the execution of different functions of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems requires signals and / or beams of different frequencies. Conventionally, these different frequencies are generated by different manipulation sources 60 and provided to their respective particle positions 250 along corresponding optical paths. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is used to convert an incident beam or signal (e.g., generated by the manipulation source 60) into an induced signal and / or beam of a selected frequency, where the selected frequency is controlled by the dynamically controllable optical effect state of the signal manipulation signal.

[0165] For example, a signal or beam characterized by a particular frequency can impinge on a signal manipulation element. The resulting induced signal or beam is characterized by a first frequency when the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect is in a first state, and the resulting induced signal or beam is characterized by a second frequency when the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect is in a second state. The first frequency is different from the second frequency and may or may not be different from the particular frequency of the incident signal or beam.

[0166] In an exemplary embodiment, a conversion effect that varies over time is used and / or controlled to enable one or more signal manipulation elements to control the frequency of an induced signal and / or beam provided at one or more particle positions. For example, an incident signal or beam having a particular frequency impinging on a signal manipulation element can cause an induced signal of a selected frequency to be provided at a particle position, where the selected frequency is selected, controlled, and / or determined based on the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element.

[0167] In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation source 60 is configured to provide a manipulation signal having an infrared wavelength, a near-infrared wavelength, or a visible wavelength. When such a manipulation signal impinges on the signal manipulation element, the signal manipulation element is induced to emit an induced signal characterized by a selected wavelength that is shorter than the wavelength of the provided manipulation signal (e.g., visible and / or UV). For example, the manipulation source 60 is configured to generate manipulation signals that are off-resonance and / or more off-resonance with respect to various particle interactions of the trapped particles of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems. In other words, the manipulation source 60 is configured to generate manipulation signals that do not interact with the particles or that interact weakly with the particles of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems. The signal manipulation element of the confinement assembly can then be used to convert the frequency of the manipulation signal to a selected frequency corresponding to a desired function of the quantum computer 110 and / or the trapped particle system, such that the resulting induced signal and / or beam causes and / or mediates the desired function and / or interaction. In various embodiments, by providing a manipulation signal to a signal manipulation element configured to not interact and / or interact weakly with the particles of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems, crosstalk between various particle positions (e.g., due to light scattered from the surfaces 208, 408 and / or the input optics) is reduced.

[0168] The use of a manipulation signal of a longer wavelength (e.g., infrared, near-infrared, visible) that is upconverted to an induced signal of a wavelength selected by a signal manipulation element enables the portion of the optical path that provides the manipulation signal to the signal manipulation element to be configured to carry the longer wavelength signal. For example, integrated waveguide photonics configured for use at infrared wavelengths is easier to design and fabricate, tends to have a longer usable lifetime, and tends to be easier to align and maintain alignment compared to waveguide photonics configured for use at shorter wavelengths (e.g., visible wavelengths and / or UV wavelengths). Thus, performing frequency conversion in a signal manipulation element provides various technical advantages in various embodiments.

[0169] In various embodiments, the manipulation source 60 includes a pulsed laser. For example, a manipulation source 60 that includes a pulsed laser is configured to provide a pulsed signal and / or beam to a signal manipulation element configured to perform harmonic generation frequency conversion in an exemplary embodiment. The resulting incident signal and / or beam is a pulsed signal and / or beam having a wavelength shorter than the manipulation signal generated by the manipulation source 60 in an exemplary embodiment.

[0170] In an exemplary embodiment, a pulsed incident signal and / or beam can be used to perform a readout function. For example, to determine the quantum state of a particle, a readout beam is caused to impinge on the particle, and it is possible to determine whether the particle is in a first state such that the particle fluoresces in response to the readout beam impinging thereon, or whether the particle is in a second state such that the particle does not fluoresce in response to the readout beam impinging thereon. In an exemplary embodiment, since the readout beam is a pulsed signal or beam, a photodetector configured to capture and / or detect an emission signal, a stimulation signal, and / or a collection signal is gated with a delay to eliminate noise generated by scattering of light from the readout beam (or other signals and / or beams). For example, the photodetector may be able to receive and / or detect light only when an emission signal, a stimulation signal, and / or a collection signal is expected to be present at the aperture of the photodetector. For example, a pulsed readout beam can be used to provide background-free gated detection of particle fluorescence.

[0171] In an exemplary embodiment, the pulsed incident signal and / or beam can be used to perform a single qubit gate or a two qubit gate. In an exemplary embodiment, the repetition and / or pulse rate of the pulsed incident signal and / or beam is configured and / or locked to be equivalent to and / or substantially equal to the hyperfine splitting of the energy levels of the particles. This enables, in an exemplary embodiment, a single qubit gate to be driven by one manipulation source 60 (instead of the two manipulation sources conventionally required). In an exemplary embodiment, the repetition and / or pulse rate of the pulsed incident signal and / or beam is configured and / or locked to be equivalent to and / or substantially equal to the axial or radial mode frequencies of the particle crystal. The resulting pulsed induced signal and / or beam can then be used to perform a two qubit gate. In an exemplary embodiment, the resulting pulsed induced signal is applied to a particle position where the particle crystal is positioned at least semi-simultaneously with a second induced signal to cause the execution of an entangling gate configured to entangle the quantum states of at least two particles of the particle crystal.

[0172] As described above, in an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element is configured to direct at least a portion of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal thereto, and to provide an induced collection signal at a collection location corresponding to each particle position to enable and / or cause detection of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element (e.g., the collection element) includes a photoactive material. For example, the signal manipulation element is configured to absorb a portion of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal incident thereon and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the intensity of the portion of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal incident on the signal manipulation element. The electrical signal can then be provided to the controller 30 (e.g., via an A / D converter 725 and / or the like).

[0173] In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element including the photoactive material is used to perform one or more system checks, calibration processes, alignment checks, and / or the like. For example, the signal manipulation element including the photoactive material can be used to perform waveguide loss monitoring, alignment monitoring, and / or the like.

[0174] In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element is used to perform signal and / or beam detection, optical loss monitoring, and / or alignment monitoring by collecting light and focusing the light directly onto an integrated photodetector, or to couple light into an optical fiber or other waveguide for routing to a photodetector. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element is configured to perform chromatic filtering of the light provided to the photodetector and / or the light coupled into an optical fiber or other waveguide. For example, the signal manipulation element can be configured to operate in a bandpass mode or a bandblock mode. In an exemplary embodiment, the signal manipulation element can be configured to enable dynamic control of whether the signal manipulation element is operating in a bandpass mode or a bandblock mode. In various embodiments, the optical coupling between the signal manipulation element and the photodetector or optical fiber or other waveguide is far-field or near-field.

[0175] Exemplary controller In various embodiments, the confinement assembly 200 is incorporated into a system (e.g., quantum computer 110 or other trapped particle system) that includes a controller 30. In various embodiments, the controller 30 is configured to control various elements of the system (e.g., quantum computer 110 or other trapped particle system). For example, the controller 30 can be configured to control the state of the dynamically controllable optical properties of one or more signal manipulation elements 220, 420. For example, the controller 30 can control a cryostat system and / or a vacuum system that controls the temperature and pressure within a voltage source 50, cryostat, and / or vacuum chamber 40, a manipulation source 60, a cooling system, and / or the environmental conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, pressure, and / or the like) within the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40, and / or can be configured to control other systems that manipulate and / or cause a controlled evolution of the quantum state of one or more atomic objects confined by the confinement assembly 200. In various embodiments, the controller 30 can be configured to receive signals from one or more optics collection systems 70.

[0176] As shown in FIG. 7, in various embodiments, the controller 30 can include various controller elements, including a processing device 705, a memory 710, a driver controller element 715, a communication interface 720, an analog-to-digital converter element 725, and / or the like. For example, the processing device 705 can include one or more processing elements, such as a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), a microprocessor, a coprocessing entity, an application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP), an integrated circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic array (PLA), a hardware accelerator, other processing devices and / or circuits, and / or the like, and / or a controller. The term circuit can refer to a purely hardware embodiment or a combination of hardware and a computer program product. In an exemplary embodiment, the processing device 705 of the controller 30 includes a clock and / or communicates with a clock.

[0177] For example, memory 710 can include non-transitory memory such as volatile and / or non-volatile memory storage such as one or more of a hard disk, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, MMC, SD memory card, memory stick, CBRAM, PRAM, FeRAM, RRAM, SONOS, racetrack memory, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, FPM DRAM, EDO DRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, RDRAM, RIMM, DIMM, SIMM, VRAM, cache memory, register memory, and / or the like. In various embodiments, memory 710 can store a queue of commands (e.g., an executable queue) that causes a quantum algorithm and / or circuit to be executed, a qubit record corresponding to qubits of a quantum computer (e.g., in a qubit record data store, qubit record database, qubit record table, and / or the like), a calibration table, computer program code (e.g., by one or more computer languages, a dedicated controller language, and / or the like), and / or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, execution of at least a portion of the computer program code stored in memory 710 (e.g., by processing element 705) causes controller 30 to execute one or more of the steps, operations, processes, procedures, and / or the like described herein to provide a manipulation signal to an atomic object location and / or to collect, detect, capture, and / or measure an indication of an emission signal emitted by an atomic object located at a corresponding atomic object location of the confinement assembly 200.

[0178] In various embodiments, the driver controller element 710 can include one or more drivers and / or controller elements, each configured to control one or more drivers. In various embodiments, the driver controller element 710 can include a driver and / or a driver controller. For example, the driver controller can be configured to cause one or more corresponding drivers to operate according to executable instructions, commands, and / or the like that are scheduled and executed by the controller 30 (e.g., by the processing device 705). In various embodiments, the driver controller element 715 can enable the controller 30 to operate a voltage source 50, a manipulation source 60, a cooling system, and / or the like. In various embodiments, the driver can be a laser driver configured to operate one or more manipulation sources 60 to generate a manipulation signal; a vacuum component driver; a driver for controlling the flow of current and / or voltage applied to an electrode used to maintain and / or control the trapping potential of the confinement assembly 200 (and / or other drivers for providing a driver action sequence to a potential generating element of an atomic object confinement assembly); a cryostat and / or vacuum system component driver; a cooling system driver, and / or the like. In various embodiments, the controller 30 includes means for communicating and / or receiving signals from one or more optical receiver components (e.g., a photodetector of an optics collection system).For example, the controller 30 can include one or more analog-to-digital converter elements 725 configured to receive signals from one or more optical receiver components (e.g., a photodetector of an optics collection system), calibration sensors, and / or the like.

[0179] In various embodiments, the controller 30 can include a communication interface 720 for interfacing and / or communicating with the computing entity 10. For example, the controller 30 can include a communication interface 720 for receiving executable instructions, command sets, and / or the like from the computing entity 10 and for providing to the computing entity 10 the output received from (e.g., from the optical collection system 70 of) the quantum computer 110 and / or the results of processing the output. In various embodiments, the computing entity 10 and the controller 30 can communicate via direct wired and / or wireless connections and / or via one or more wired and / or wireless networks 20.

[0180] Exemplary Computing Entity FIG. 8 provides a representative schematic diagram of an exemplary computing entity 10 that can be used with embodiments of the present invention. In various embodiments, the computing entity 10 is configured to enable a user to provide input to the quantum computer 110 (e.g., via a user interface of the computing entity 10) and to receive, display, analyze, and / or the like the output from the quantum computer 110.

[0181] As shown in FIG. 8, computing entity 10 can include antenna 812, transmitter 804 (e.g., radio), receiver 806 (e.g., radio), and processing device 808, and processing device 808 provides signals to transmitter 804 and receives signals from receiver 806. The signals provided to transmitter 804 and received from receiver 806 can include signaling information / data conforming to the air interface standards of an applicable wireless system for communicating with various entities, such as controller 30, other computing entities 10, and / or the like. In this regard, computing entity 10 can operate with one or more air interface standards, communication protocols, modulation types, and access types. For example, computing entity 10 can be configured to receive and / or provide communications using a wired data transmission protocol, such as Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Ethernet, Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM), Frame Relay, Data Over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS), or any other wired transmission protocol.Similarly, computing entity 10 can be configured to communicate via a wireless external communication network using any of a variety of protocols such as General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Code Division Multiple Access 2000 (CDMA2000), CDMA2000 1X (1xRTT), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA (registered trademark)), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi), Wi-Fi Direct, 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark)), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Infrared (IR) protocol, Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol, Wibree, Bluetooth (registered trademark) protocol, Wireless Universal Serial Bus (USB) protocol, and / or any other wireless protocol.Computing entity 10 can use such protocols and standards to communicate using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), Domain Name System (DNS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), HTTP over TLS / SSL / Secure, Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Network Time Protocol (NTP), Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Telnet, Transport Layer Security (TLS), Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Datagram Congestion Control Protocol (DCCP), Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP), HyperText Markup Language (HTML), and / or the like.

[0182] Through these communication standards and protocols, computing entity 10 can communicate with various other entities using concepts such as Unstructured Supplementary Service information / data (USSD), Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency Signaling (DTMF), and / or Subscriber Identity Module Dialer (SIM dialer). Also, computing entity 10 can download changes, add-ons, and updates to its firmware, software (including executable instructions, applications, program modules), and operating system, for example.

[0183] For example, processing device 808 can include one or more processing elements, such as a programmable logic device (CPLD), a microprocessor, a coprocessing entity, an application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP), an integrated circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic array (PLA), a hardware accelerator, other processing devices and / or circuits, and / or the like, and / or a controller. The term circuit can refer to a completely hardware implementation or a combination of hardware and a computer program product.

[0184] In various embodiments, computing entity 10 can include, for example, a network interface 820 for interfacing and / or communicating with controller 30. For example, computing entity 10 can include a network interface 820 for providing executable instructions, command sets, and / or the like for reception by controller 30 and / or for receiving the results of processing of outputs provided by and / or output and / or quantum computer 110. In various embodiments, computing entity 10 and controller 30 can communicate via direct wired and / or wireless connections and / or via one or more wired and / or wireless networks 20.

[0185] In addition, computing entity 10 may also include a user interface device that includes one or more user input / output interfaces (e.g., a display 816 and / or a speaker / speaker driver coupled to processing device 808, and a touch screen, keyboard, mouse, and / or microphone coupled to processing device 808). For example, the user output interface is configured to cause the display or audible presentation of information / data and for interaction therewith via one or more user input interfaces, to run on computing entity 10 and / or to be accessible via computing entity 10, to provide applications, browsers, user interfaces, interfaces, dashboards, screens, web pages, pages, and / or similar terms used interchangeably herein. The user input interface can include any of a plurality of devices that enable computing entity 10 to receive data, such as a keypad 818 (hard or soft), a touch display, a voice / speech or motion interface, a scanner, a reader, or other input devices. In embodiments including keypad 818, keypad 818 can include (or cause the display of) conventional numbers (0-9) and associated keys (#,*), and other keys used to operate computing entity 10, and can include a full set of alphabetic keys, or a set of keys that can be activated to provide a full set of alphanumeric keys. In addition to providing input, the user input interface can be used to activate or deactivate certain functions, such as a screen saver and / or sleep mode, for example.Through such inputs, computing entity 10 can collect information / data, user interactions / inputs, and / or the like.

[0186] Also, computing entity 10 can include volatile storage or memory 822 and / or non-volatile storage or memory 824, which can be embedded and / or can be removable. For example, non-volatile memory can be ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, MMC, SD memory card, memory stick, CBRAM, PRAM, FeRAM, RRAM, SONOS, racetrack memory, and / or the like. Volatile memory can be RAM, DRAM, SRAM, FPM DRAM, EDO DRAM, SDRAM, DDR SDRAM, DDR2 SDRAM, DDR3 SDRAM, RDRAM, RIMM, DIMM, SIMM, VRAM, cache memory, register memory, and / or the like. Volatile and non-volatile storage or memory can store databases, database instances, database management system entities, data, applications, programs, program modules, scripts, source code, object code, bytecode, compiled code, interpreted type code, machine code, executable instructions, and / or the like, and can implement the functions of computing entity 10.

[0187] Conclusion Many modifications and other embodiments of the invention described herein will come to the mind of one skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing description and the related drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Description of the Reference Numerals

[0188] 5 Particle 10 Computing entity 20 Wired or wireless network 30 Controller 40 Cryostat, vacuum chamber 50 Voltage source 60 Manipulation source 66, 66A, 66B, 66C Optical path 70 Optics collection system 100 Quantum computing system 110 Quantum computer 200 Confinement assembly 205 First substrate 208 Surface 210 Via 215 Control line 220 Signal manipulation element 250 Particle position 250A First particle position 250B Second particle position 255 Collection location 260 Arrival signal, incident signal 265 Inductive signal 270 Emission signal, stimulation signal 275 Collection signal 310 Collection fiber 330 Collection lens 402 Second surface 405 Second substrate 408 First surface 410 Via 415 Signal line 420 Signal manipulation element 420A, 420B Action element 420C Collection element 430 Collection optics 500 Second substrate 510 Via 515 Control line 520 Signal manipulation element 530 Gain material 532 Surface normal of the second substrate 535 Voltage control line 540 External cavity 550 VECSEL 620 Signal manipulation element 630 VCSEL 635 VCSEL control line 640 Nanophotonic structure 642 Arrow 644 Retroreflector 645 Laser control line 646 External cavity 648 Signal manipulation element 650 Laser 705 Processing device 710 Memory 715 Driver controller element 720 Communication interface 725 Analog - digital converter element 804 Transmitter 806 Receiver 808 Processing device 812 Antenna 816 Display 818 Keypad 820 Network interface 822 Volatile storage or memory 824 Non-volatile storage or memory φ Angle

Claims

1. A particle confinement assembly defining a plurality of particle positions, and one or more signal manipulation elements, each of the one or more signal manipulation elements including an active nanofphotonic component having (a) an optical effect associated with each of at least one of the plurality of particle positions and (b) a dynamically controllable optical effect, comprising wherein each of the one or more signal manipulation elements is configured to cause either (a) an induced signal to impinge on at least a portion of each of the at least one positions or (b) an induced signal to impinge on a respective collection location corresponding to each of the at least one positions, in response to an incident signal and based on a state of the dynamically controllable optical effect.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one or more characteristics of the induced signal are controlled by a state of the dynamically controllable optical effect.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more characteristics of the induced signal include one or more of beam position, beam angle, focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, or power.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect is controlled via at least one of (a) application of at least one of an electrical signal, an electric field, or a magnetic field to each of the respective signal manipulation elements, (b) polarization of the incident signal, (c) mechanical adjustment or movement of each of the respective signal manipulation elements, (d) temperature of each of the respective signal manipulation elements, (e) electro-optic effect of each of the respective signal manipulation elements, (f) acousto-optic effect of each of the respective signal manipulation elements, (g) photoelastic effect of each of the respective signal manipulation elements, or (h) power and / or frequency of the incident signal.

5. The confinement assembly is at least partially formed on a first substrate, and at least one of the one or more signal manipulation elements is formed on a second substrate, the second substrate being mounted in a fixed or controllable manner with respect to the first substrate, the system of claim 1.

6. The confinement assembly is at least partially formed on a first substrate, and at least one of the one or more signal manipulation elements is formed on the first substrate, the system of claim 1.

7. The manipulation source is at least partially formed on the first substrate or the second substrate, and / or at least partially formed in the first substrate or the second substrate, the system of claim 6.

8. The manipulation source is a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) including an external cavity defined at least in part by at least one of the one or more signal manipulation elements, the system of claim 7.

9. The external cavity is defined by a first signal manipulation element formed on the first substrate and a second signal manipulation element formed on the second substrate, the system of claim 8.

10. The manipulation source is a vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) at least partially formed in the first substrate or the second substrate, the signal manipulation elements being arranged along the emission axis of the VCSEL, the signal manipulation elements being configured to control at least one characteristic of the signal emitted by the VCSEL, the system of claim 7.

11. The signal manipulation element is either an active signal manipulation element or a passive signal manipulation element, the system of claim 10.

12. The manipulation source includes a resonant structure formed as an array of nanofabricated structures, the system of claim 7.

13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the array of the nanofabricated photonic structures is configured to have a metasurface or a diffraction effect.

14. The system according to claim 12, wherein the array of the nanofabricated photonic structures is configured to be seeded by a seed beam, and the seed beam controls at least one of a frequency of light emitted by a laser or a line width of light emitted by the laser.

15. The system according to claim 7, wherein injection locking or seeding of a cavity of the manipulation source is used to control at least one of (a) a frequency or a line width or (b) a polarization of a signal emitted by the manipulation source.

16. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the signal manipulation elements is configured to modulate at least one of an amplitude, a phase, a frequency, or a polarization of the induced signal.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the signal manipulation elements has a dynamically controllable refractive index.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the dynamically controllable refractive index is used to steer or control a propagation direction of the induced signal.

19. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one signal manipulation element includes a photoactive material and is configured to provide an electrical signal in response to light incident thereon.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the induced signal has a frequency different from that of the incident signal.

21. The system according to claim 19, wherein the incident signal is an infrared signal and the induced signal is a visible or UV signal.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein each of the signal manipulation elements is configured to convert a frequency of the incident signal to a frequency of the induced signal using at least one of harmonic generation or a conversion effect that changes with time.

23. The system according to claim 19, wherein the incident signal is a pulsed signal.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the induced signal is used to perform a background-free gated readout function. **Claim 25** A vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) that is at least partially formed on or in a first substrate and at least partially formed on or in a second substrate, a first signal manipulation element disposed on the first substrate, a second signal manipulation element disposed on the second substrate, comprising: wherein the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element define an external cavity of the VECSEL, a vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL). **Claim 26** The VECSEL of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element comprises respective active nanophotonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect. **Claim 27** The VECSEL of claim 25, wherein at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate defines a surface normal, and the external cavity of the VECSEL is angled with respect to the surface normal. **Claim 28** The VECSEL of claim 25, wherein a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more particles is formed on at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate. **Claim 29** The VECSEL of claim 28, wherein the confinement assembly defines a plurality of particle positions, and a first particle position of the plurality of particle positions is disposed between the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element, and the particle position is disposed within the external cavity. **Claim 30** A trapped particle system, wherein the trapped particle system is a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more particles and defining a plurality of particle positions, the confinement assembly being formed on a first substrate, and a second substrate fixed to or mounted in a controllable manner with respect to the first substrate. A first vertical external cavity surface emitting laser (VECSEL) that is at least partially formed on or in the first substrate and at least partially formed on or in the second substrate, comprising, wherein the first VECSEL, a first signal manipulation element disposed on the first substrate, a second signal manipulation element disposed on the second substrate, comprising, wherein the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element define an external cavity of the first VECSEL, wherein at least one of the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element includes respective active nanophotonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect, a trapped particle system, wherein a first particle position among the plurality of particle positions is disposed between the first signal manipulation element and the second signal manipulation element, and the first particle position is disposed within the external cavity of the first VECSEL.

31. The trapped particle system according to claim 30, wherein at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate defines a surface normal, and the external cavity of the first VECSEL is angled with respect to the surface normal.

32. The trapped particle system further includes a second VECSEL, wherein the second VECSEL is at least partially formed on or in the first substrate and at least partially formed on or in the second substrate, wherein the second VECSEL, a third signal manipulation element disposed on the first substrate, a fourth signal manipulation element disposed on the second substrate, comprising, wherein the third signal manipulation element and the fourth signal manipulation element define an external cavity of the second VECSEL, At least one of the third signal manipulation element and the fourth signal manipulation element includes respective active nanophotonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect, The trapped particle system according to claim 31, wherein the first particle position is disposed between the third signal manipulation element and the fourth signal manipulation element, and the first particle position is disposed in the external cavity of the second VECSEL.

33. Including a nanophotonic structure defining a lateral cavity, A laser, wherein at least a part of the nanophotonic structure is configured to have a metasurface or a diffraction effect.

34. The laser according to claim 33, wherein the nanophotonic structure is a photonic crystal structure defining a photonic crystal cavity.

35. The laser according to claim 33, wherein a part of the nanophotonic structure configured to have the metasurface or the diffraction effect is an emission surface of the nanophotonic structure.

36. The laser according to claim 33, wherein the metasurface or the diffraction effect is configured to control at least one of a propagation direction, polarization, or phase of light emitted by the laser.

37. Including a nanophotonic structure defining a lateral cavity, wherein the photonic crystal cavity is configured to be seeded by a seed beam, and the seed beam controls at least one of a frequency of light emitted by a laser, a line width of light emitted by the laser, or a polarization of light emitted by the laser. A laser.

38. The laser according to claim 37, wherein the seed beam is a laser beam generated by an external laser and has an external laser power, and the laser is configured to emit an emission beam having an emitted laser power, and the emitted laser power is greater than the external laser power.

39. The laser according to claim 37, wherein the nanophotonic structure is a photonic crystal structure defining a photonic crystal cavity.

40. The laser is seeded using an external cavity formed between a first substrate and a second substrate, the nanophotonic structure is disposed on and / or partially embedded in the first substrate, a retroreflector that at least partially defines the external cavity is formed on the second substrate, The laser according to claim 37, wherein a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more particles is formed on at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate.

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