Seeding and optical pumping of an integrated laser for interaction of trapped particles

Abstract

A confinement assembly is provided that is configured to confine quantum objects. The confinement assembly can include a first substrate having a potential generating element formed thereon, and can include a second substrate that is fixed relative to the first substrate. The confinement assembly further includes at least a portion of a laser (e.g., at least a portion of a gain medium and a resonant structure) formed on the first and / or second substrate. The potential generating element is operable to generate a confinement region that is configured to confine quantum objects. The confinement assembly at least partially defines an optical path for causing an optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser. The optical beam is (a) a seeding laser beam configured to control at least one characteristic of light emitted by the laser, or (b) an optical pumping beam configured to power the laser oscillation activity of the laser.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 63 / 363,506, filed Apr. 25, 2022, and U.S. Application No. 18 / 299,785, filed Apr. 13, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] Various embodiments relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods involving the use of active nanophotonics for interacting with trapped particles. For example, various embodiments relate to apparatuses, systems, and methods involving 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 implement quantum computing, the gates and other functions of the quantum computer are implemented by applying a laser beam to the ions contained within the ion trap. Delivering these laser beams to a large - scale quantum computer is a significant challenge 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 implement the functions of the quantum computer. 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 including active nanophotonics. In various embodiments, the interaction with the particles is performed through optical beams and / or signals applied to and / or incident on the particles. In various embodiments, the 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 quantum objects (e.g., atoms, ions, groups of atoms and / or ions, molecules, quantum particles, 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 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, 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 collection location corresponding to the particle location or respective particle locations.

[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 nanofotonic 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 a diffraction effect.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the 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, the 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 the laser or the linewidth of the light emitted by the laser.

[0019] In an exemplary embodiment, the 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, 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 element is disposed along the emission axis of the VCSEL, and the signal manipulation element is configured to control at least one characteristic of the signal emitted by the VCSEL.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, injection locking or seeding of the cavity of the manipulation source is used to control the frequency or linewidth of the 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 implement 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 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 nanophotonic components having a dynamically controllable optical effect. 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 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 nanophotonic 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, an integrated 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 the 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 the direction of propagation, polarization, or phase of the light emitted by the laser.

[0042] According to another aspect, an integrated 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 output beam having an output laser power, and the output laser power is greater than the external laser power.

[0044] According to another aspect, a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more quantum objects is provided. The confinement assembly includes a first substrate having a plurality of potential generating elements formed thereon; and at least a portion of a laser formed on the first substrate, the at least a portion of the laser including at least a portion of a gain medium and a resonant structure. The potential generating elements are operable to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine one or more quantum objects. The confinement assembly at least partially defines an optical path for causing at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser. The at least one optical beam is one of (a) a seeding laser beam configured to control at least one characteristic of the light emitted by the laser, or (b) an optical pumping beam configured to power the laser oscillation activity of the laser.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path for providing at least one optical beam includes a free space optical path.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the free-space optical path is at least partially defined by and / or includes one or more free-space optics elements.

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser by causing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path includes an optical waveguide disposed within a first substrate.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser by (i) providing at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure via an out-of-plane coupler, (ii) providing at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure via an edge coupling, or (iii) causing at least one optical beam to interact with a gain medium via an evanescent coupling.

[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical waveguide is a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser via at least one of an out-of-plane coupler, an evanescent coupling, or a direct coupling.

[0051] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical waveguide is a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is coupled to at least a portion of a laser via a metasurface coupler.

[0052] In an exemplary embodiment, the slab waveguide is configured to have two or more optical beams propagating therethrough, the two or more optical beams being different from each other in at least one of wavelength or polarization, and the metasurface coupler is configured to cause at least a portion of the laser to interact with only one of the two or more optical beams.

[0053] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one optical beam is generated by either (a) an external laser source external to the confinement assembly or (b) an integrated laser that is part of the confinement assembly.

[0054] In an exemplary embodiment, the confinement assembly further includes a second substrate, the second substrate being attached to and / or fixed to the first substrate, and the second substrate at least partially defines an optical path for causing at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path includes a waveguide formed in the second substrate.

[0056] In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser by one of (a) providing at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure via an out-of-plane coupler, (b) providing at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure via an edge coupling, or (c) causing at least one optical beam to interact with the gain medium via an evanescent coupling.

[0057] In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide is a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser through at least one of an out-of-plane coupler, an evanescent coupling, or a direct coupling.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide is a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser through a metasurface coupler.

[0059] In an exemplary embodiment, the slab waveguide is configured to have two or more optical beams propagating therethrough, the optical beams being different from each other in at least one of wavelength or polarization, and the metasurface coupler is configured to cause at least a portion of the laser to interact with only one of the two or more optical beams.

[0060] According to another aspect, a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more quantum objects is provided. The confinement assembly includes a first substrate having a plurality of potential generating elements formed thereon; a second substrate mounted to and / or fixed to the first substrate; and at least a portion of a laser formed on the second substrate. At least a portion of the laser includes at least a portion of a gain medium and a resonant structure. The potential generating elements are operable to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine one or more quantum objects. The confinement assembly at least partially defines an optical path for causing at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser. The at least one optical beam is (a) a seeding laser beam configured to control at least one characteristic of the light emitted by the laser, or (b) an optical pumping beam configured to power the lasing activity of the laser.

[0061] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path for providing at least one optical beam includes a free-space optical path.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, the free-space optical path is at least partially defined by one or more free-space optics elements.

[0063] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path is configured to cause the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser by causing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of the gain medium or the resonant structure.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path includes an optical waveguide disposed in either the first substrate or the second substrate.

[0065] In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser by one of: (a) providing at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure via an out-of-plane coupler; (b) providing at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of a gain medium or a resonant structure via an edge coupling; or (c) causing at least one optical beam to interact with a gain medium via an evanescent coupling.

[0066] In an exemplary embodiment, the waveguide is a slab waveguide.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the slab waveguide is configured to cause at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of a laser via at least one of an out-of-plane coupler, an evanescent coupling, or a direct coupling.

[0068] In an exemplary embodiment, the slab waveguide is coupled to at least a portion of a laser via a metasurface coupler.

[0069] In an exemplary embodiment, the slab waveguide is configured to have two or more optical beams propagating therethrough, the two or more optical beams being different from each other in at least one of wavelength or polarization, and the metasurface coupler is configured to cause at least a portion of the laser to interact with only one of the two or more optical beams.

[0070] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one optical beam is generated by one of: (a) an external laser source external to the confinement assembly; or (b) an integrated laser that is part of the confinement assembly.

[0071] According to another aspect, a confinement assembly configured to confine one or more quantum objects is provided. The confinement assembly includes a first substrate having a plurality of potential generating elements formed thereon; and respective portions of a plurality of lasers formed as part of the confinement assembly. The potential generating elements are operable to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine one or more quantum objects. At least one of the plurality of lasers is configured to provide respective seed laser beams to at least one other of the plurality of lasers.

[0072] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one other of the plurality of lasers is configured to provide respective seed laser beams to another of the plurality of lasers.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path configured to provide respective seed laser beams from at least one laser to at least one other laser includes a splitter, and at least one other of the plurality of lasers includes two or more of the plurality of lasers.

[0074] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one laser is configured to be seeded by an external laser that is external to the confinement assembly.

[0075] Although the invention has been described in general terms as above, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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[0077] 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 invention may 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 such that an example is 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 measurement. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0078] Various embodiments provide methods, systems, apparatuses, 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 that does not have a 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, 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. In various embodiments, the particles are trapped and / or confined quantum objects (e.g., atoms, ions, groups of atoms and / or ions, molecules, quantum particles, 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 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 metamaterial array, diffractive optical elements, photonic crystals, and / or a microfabricated surface configured to perform signal control functions (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like).

[0079] In various embodiments, the 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.

[0080] 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, metamaterial, photonic crystal, 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 affected 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.

[0081] 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.

[0082] 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.

[0083] In various embodiments, the confinement assembly defines a plurality of particle positions. In various embodiments, one or more of the particle positions correspond to collection locations. 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.

[0084] In various embodiments, the induced signal and / or beam interact with the trapped particles and / or 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 to a pre-determined quantum state, to initialize the particles to 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.

[0085] In various embodiments, one or more signal manipulation elements are disposed and / or mounted relative to the confinement assembly such that each signal manipulation element forms at least a portion of an optical path between a respective particle location and a respective manipulation source and / or photodetector.

[0086] 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's function.

[0087] 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 above the surface defined by the plane of the confinement assembly. For example, it is possible for there to be holes or openings 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 a first substrate including the confinement assembly.

[0088] An exemplary embodiment provides a second substrate on and / or in which one or more signal manipulation elements are formed and / or disposed in a fixed and / or controlled relationship with respect to a confinement assembly such that manipulation signals (e.g., in the form of induction signals and / or beams) can be provided to particle positions via respective signal manipulation elements of the second substrate.

[0089] In various embodiments, each signal manipulation element is formed and / or configured to be used in performing one or more functions of a 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, the trapped and / or confined particles are interacted with the trapped and / or confined particles, and / or interactions between the trapped and / or confined particles are caused and / or mediated.

[0090] In various embodiments, each signal manipulation element is configured to provide a resonant response to an incident signal and / or beam (e.g., an incoming manipulation signal and / or a stimulation signal) of each particular wavelength range, similar to the signal manipulation elements described by U.S. Application No. 17 / 653,979, filed Mar. 8, 2022, 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 each particular 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.

[0091] 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 experience 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 a signal containing various wavelengths, can be incident on the signal manipulation element. 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 those respective specific wavelengths and / or wavelengths within each respective specific wavelength range that the signal manipulation element is configured to work with. 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.

[0092] 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).

[0093] In various embodiments, a 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, a 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 towards 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 towards a second portion of a corresponding particle position and / or a different particle position.

[0094] 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.

[0095] 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 if the first state and the second state are different).

[0096] 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 function of each of the quantum computer and / or the trapped particle system can be associated with one or more wavelengths. Accordingly, each signal manipulation element can correspond to one or more functions of the quantum computer and / or the 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.

[0097] 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 that includes 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 performance 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.

[0098] In various embodiments, various incident signals and / or beams are near and / or generated by a particle. For example, a particle can emit a stimulation signal that causes an induced signal to be emitted toward a corresponding collection location after the stimulation signal impinges on a signal manipulation element. In another example, a manipulation source can be at least partially formed and / or disposed on and / or in a first substrate on which a confinement assembly is formed and / or disposed. In another example, a manipulation source can be at least partially formed and / or disposed on and / or in a second substrate that is mounted in a fixed and / or controllable manner with respect to a confinement assembly. In various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources that are 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 that are at least partially formed and / or disposed in and / or on the first and / or second substrate include a coherent optical source.

[0099] 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. Thus, 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. Therefore, 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.

[0100] 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 that it impinges on a signal manipulation element and induces the signal manipulation element to emit a guiding signal that is 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.

[0101] In addition, 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), the temperature of the nanofabricated elements, 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.

[0102] 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).

[0103] 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 a longer wavelength (e.g., infrared) manipulation signal that is used to generate an induction signal at 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.

[0104] Additionally, detecting the quantum state of a particle also presents challenges due to the large field of view required by the 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 such 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 are emitted towards their respective collection locations in response to a stimulation signal emitted by the particle impinging on the signal manipulation element. In various embodiments, a collection optic 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 a large field of view of determining the quantum state of a particle confined by a large and / or two-dimensional confinement assembly.

[0105] Exemplary Quantum Computing System Including a Quantum Object Confinement Assembly In various embodiments, a signal manipulation element that includes active nanofotonics with controllable optical effects is used to interact with particles and / or to cause / mediate interactions between particles. In various embodiments, the particles are trapped and / or confined quantum objects (e.g., atoms, ions, groups of atoms and / or ions, molecules, quantum particles, and / or the like), qubits (e.g., of a quantum processor and / or a 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.

[0106] 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.

[0107] 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 toward 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 toward 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.

[0108] 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 quantum object confinement assembly 200 is positioned) 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.

[0109] 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 that is attached to and / or controllably mounted relative to the confinement assembly 200 within the cryostat and / or the vacuum chamber 40.

[0110] 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 portion, infrared portion, visible portion, 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 that can provide one or more laser beams (e.g., as a manipulation signal) to particles confined and / or trapped by the confinement assembly 200 in a cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40.

[0111] For example, the manipulation source 60 generates a manipulation signal that is provided as an incoming signal to an appropriate 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 states in the qubit space so that the particles can be used as qubits of the quantum computer 110, perform one or more gates on one or more qubits of the quantum computer 110, read out and / or determine the states of one or more qubits of the quantum computer 110, and / or for similar purposes.

[0112] 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 a quantum object. For example, the manipulation signal can be applied to a particle (e.g., via one or more signal manipulation elements) to photoionize the particle.

[0113] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is the 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.

[0114] 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 the first state of the qubit space, the particle will emit fluorescence in response to the readout signal being applied to it. When the wave function of the particle collapses to the second state of the qubit space, the particle will not emit fluorescence in response to the readout signal being applied to it.

[0115] 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).

[0116] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is to shelve the particle. In various embodiments, a particle in the second state of the qubit space can be shelved during the implementation 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 on February 25, 2021, 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.

[0117] 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.

[0118] Another exemplary function that can be performed on a particle is to perform 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.

[0119] 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 that includes 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.

[0120] In various embodiments, the quantum computer 110 includes an optics collection system 70, which 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 systems (MEMS) sensor, and / or other photodetectors sensitive to light at the expected fluorescence wavelength of the qubits of the quantum computer. In various embodiments, the detector can be in electronic communication with the controller 30 via one or more analog-to-digital converters 1425 (see FIG. 14) and / or the like. For example, a particle being read out and / or a particle whose quantum state is being determined can emit a stimulation signal, at least a portion of which impinges on a signal manipulation element of the signal management system. The incident signal impinging on the signal manipulation element induces the signal manipulation element to emit an induced signal, which is directed and / or focused towards the collection optics of the confinement assembly and positioned at a collection location corresponding to the particle location occupied by the particle. The collection optics are configured to provide the collection signal to the photodetector.

[0121] 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.

[0122] 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 process 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.

[0123] In various embodiments, the controller 30 controls the voltage supply 50, the cryostat and / or the temperature and pressure in the vacuum chamber 40, the cryostat system and / or the vacuum system, the manipulation source 60, the 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 the vacuum chamber 40, and / or manipulates one or more particles in the confinement assembly, and / or is configured to control other systems so as to cause a controlled evolution of their quantum states. 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 an algorithm. For example, the controller 30 can cause a readout procedure including coherent shelving to be performed, optionally as part of executing a quantum circuit and / or an algorithm. In various embodiments, the particles confined within the confinement assembly are used as qubits of the quantum computer 110.

[0124] 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 each particle position defined by the confinement assembly 200. In various embodiments, the signal management system defines an optical path used to provide signals to each particle position and / or collection location. The optical path includes each signal manipulation element. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is configured to allow the optical path to be transverse to the surface 208 (see FIG. 2) of the confinement assembly 200.

[0125] Various embodiments are disclosed where 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 the placement of signal manipulation elements for each particle position 250 defined by the confinement assembly 200. Various embodiments are disclosed where the first substrate 205, 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 induction signals can propagate. Various embodiments are disclosed where the second substrate 405 is attached to the confinement assembly 200 in a fixed and / or controllable relationship, and the signal manipulation elements (and / or the placement of signal manipulation elements) are formed and / or disposed on the surface of the second substrate (see an example of such in FIG. 4).

[0126] 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 implement signal control functions (e.g., reflection, refraction, diffraction, and / or the like), and / or the like that have 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 may 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.

[0127] Figures 2 and 3 illustrate exemplary embodiments in which signal manipulation element 220 is 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 positioned 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.

[0128] 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 lead lines and / or control lines 215 are enabled to provide a control electrical signal to the signal manipulation element 220. For example, the controller 30 is capable of controlling the voltage supply 50 to apply a control electrical signal to the signal manipulation element 220 via the control line 215 extending through the via 210.

[0129] 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 supply 50 and / or the like).

[0130] FIG. 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 respective particle positions 250. For example, during 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 a corresponding collection location 255. In various embodiments, 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 a collection fiber 310.

[0131] 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 collection optics positioned at a collection location 255 corresponding to each particle position 250.

[0132] In various embodiments, the collection element is generally disposed between the corresponding particle position 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 position 250. For example, the collection element can be positioned and sized to collect and / or direct at least emission signals and / or stimulation signals that are emitted into and / or proximate to approximately 2π steradians. For example, from the perspective of the particle position 250, the collection element can include a solid angle around the particle position 250 that is π, 1.25π, 1.5π, 1.75π, and / or greater than approximately 2π steradians.

[0133] 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 in 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 the 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 in 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 the second surface 402 of the second substrate 405 and / or in the second substrate 405 (e.g., between the second surface 402 and the first surface 408).

[0134] 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 implement 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.

[0135] For example, the manipulation signal is provided to the confinement assembly 200 via the second surface 402 of the second substrate 405. The manipulation signal propagates from the second surface 402 through the second substrate 405 to the first surface 408 (e.g., through the bulk material of the second substrate 405, waveguides, vias, and / or the like). The manipulation signal impinges 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 and / or function as lenses, resulting in an action signal impinging on the particle 5 positioned at the particle position 250. In various embodiments, the action elements 420A, 420B cause the 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 impinges on and / or passes through the particle position 250, the action signal reflects 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 an appropriate action signal is provided to the particle position 250 in a manner appropriate for the function being performed.

[0136] In various instances, the particle 5 positioned at the particle position 250 is capable of emitting an emission signal and / or a stimulation signal 270. The emission signal is incident on the collection element 420C. The collection element 420C acts as a lens and provides a focused and / or collimated collection signal 275 from its first surface 408 to the second surface 402 through the second substrate 405 (e.g., through the bulk material, waveguide, via, and / or the like of the second substrate 405). The collection optics 430 can be disposed in proximity to the second surface 402 of the second substrate 405 such that the collection signal 275 is incident on the collection optics 430 corresponding to the particle position 250 to enable detection of the emission signal and / or the stimulation signal.

[0137] In an exemplary embodiment, the action element is disposed and / or formed on a second substrate 405, as shown in FIG. 4, and the collection element is disposed and / or formed on a first substrate 205 (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 a 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 a 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.

[0138] 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, the via 410 is defined, formed, and / or etched in the second substrate 405, enabling the signal line 415 to provide a control electrical signal to the signal manipulation element 420. For example, the controller 30 can control the voltage supply 50 to apply a control electrical signal to the signal manipulation element 420 via the signal line 415 extending through the via 410. In another example, the signal line 415 can be formed as a lead and / or trace on the first surface 408 of the second substrate, such that the signal line 415 is in electrical communication with and / or operatively connected to the signal manipulation element 420 and the controller 30 (e.g., via the voltage supply 50 and / or the like in some cases).

[0139] 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 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 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, mechanical adjustment and / or movement (e.g., controlled via an electrically controlled motor, actuator, and / or the like), the temperature of the nanofotonic element, an electro-optic effect, an acousto-optic effect, a photoelastic effect, and / or the like.

[0140] 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.

[0141] 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).

[0142] 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.

[0143] In various embodiments, the metasurface and / or the encapsulation material includes a phase change material (e.g., vanadium dioxide (VO2)) having a refractive index that is temperature-dependent or dependent on electrical or optical interactions. For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of a 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.

[0144] In various embodiments, various electro-optic effects, acousto-optic effects, or photoelastic effects are used to control the refractive index of the metasurface and / or the encapsulation material as required for the application. For example, a signal manipulation element can include, in an exemplary embodiment, 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, the acousto-optic effect, or the photoelastic effect can affect the refractive index of the metasurface element, the surface or substrate on which the metasurface elements are 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.

[0145] 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 and / or the spacing of the metasurface elements (e.g., pillars and / or holes) can be modified to control the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element.

[0146] 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 the metasurface of an exemplary signal manipulation element.

[0147] 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).

[0148] 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 a signal incident on the signal manipulation element. For example, controlling the incident angle of a signal incident on the signal manipulation element can be used to modify the metasurface effect (e.g., to control the dynamically controllable optical effect state 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 implemented macroscopically (e.g., by macroscopic actuators, motors, and / or the like) or using a microelectromechanical system (MEMS).

[0149] 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 a polarization-dependent effect. 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.

[0150] 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.

[0151] 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, a material with adjustable optical absorption is 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, VO2, an exemplary phase change material having an insulator-metal transition, 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., VO2) undergoes a phase transition, the optical absorption over a wide wavelength range changes substantially, and the phase transition can be used to control the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element that includes the phase change material.

[0152] 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).

[0153] For example, in various embodiments, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for passing a signal to a corresponding particle position (e.g., providing a guiding signal to the particle position) or for rejecting a signal (e.g., not providing 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 / reflectance and / or adjustable absorption of the signal manipulation element.

[0154] In various embodiments, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for controlling, adjusting, optimizing, and / or the like the amplitude or optical power of the induced signal or beam. For example, the 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 implementing two-qubit gates, or other functions that require coordinated provisioning of multiple manipulation signals) can be controlled and / or balanced according to the 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.

[0155] In various embodiments, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element can be used as a modulator for controlling, adjusting, optimizing, and / or the like the phase of the induced signal or beam. For example, the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element is used to control the phase of the induced signal applied at the particle position. In an exemplary embodiment, the phase control, adjustment, and / or optimization of the manipulation signal can be used to generate an amplitude adjustment effect through interference (constructive or destructive) with another coherent signal and / or beam.

[0156] 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.

[0157] 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 effect the desired interaction. For example, the signal manipulation element can be used to effect selective frequency up-conversion and / or down-conversion. 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 source 50) that varies with time.

[0158] 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 to perform beam steering and / or beam switching in various embodiments. For example, a single signal manipulation element is used to address multiple particle positions in an exemplary embodiment. 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 element 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 can modulate various characteristics of the manipulation signal and provide 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 the alignment. In an exemplary embodiment, beam steering is used to select whether a particular manipulation signal is provided to a particular particle position.

[0159] 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 beneath 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 the 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.

[0160] 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 purposes, to effect fine tuning of the interaction between the induced signal 265 and the particle 5 positioned at the particle position 250. In an exemplary embodiment, focal length, focal shape, and / or beam profile control is used to effect 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.

[0161] 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, the fully reconfigurable projection optics enables an initial manipulation signal (e.g., generated by the manipulation source 60) to independently address, impinge upon, and / or control interactions at a plurality of particle positions 250.

[0162] In various embodiments, the beam steering / switching and the modulating and reconfigurable effects of adjustable focal length, focal shape, and / or beam profile 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.

[0163] In various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources 60 are positioned within the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40. For example, in various embodiments, one or more manipulation sources are formed and / or disposed on the 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 the second substrate 500 and partially on the first substrate 205. FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary embodiment, where the manipulation source 60 is a VCSEL 630, and the VCSEL 630 is formed on or in the first substrate 205. In an exemplary embodiment, the manipulation source 60 that is a VCSEL can be formed on and / or in the 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 a dynamically controllable optical effect.

[0164] In various embodiments, having the manipulation source 60 at least partially formed and / or disposed on the 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 the manipulation source 60 at least partially formed and / or disposed on the 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 overall size of the quantum computer 110 and / or other trapped particle systems by reducing the number of manipulation sources 60 that need to be positioned outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40.

[0165] 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.

[0166] 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 the VECSEL 550 is at least partially defined by two signal manipulation elements 220, 520.

[0167] In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is coupled to the manipulation source 60 such that one or more characteristics of the 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 where the VCSEL 630 is formed on and / or in a first substrate, and the signal manipulation element 220 is positioned over the emission aperture of the VCSEL 630 such that the 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 the 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.

[0168] 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 occurs (e.g., through a controllable change in the transmissivity / reflection rate of the signal manipulation element).

[0169] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary embodiment, where 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 recombination effects 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 proximate to and / or adjacent 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.

[0170] 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.

[0171] 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 implemented by the external cavity 540 (e.g., a Fabry - Perot cavity).

[0172] 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, 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 an optical power substantially lower than the optical power required for the performance 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.

[0173] Due to the direction control of the signals and / or beams provided through the use of the 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.

[0174] 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 550 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 / distinguished functions at the particle position 250, where the different / distinguished functions have requirements for different frequencies, polarizations, and / or the like.

[0175] In an exemplary embodiment, to control when and how much (e.g., amplitude and / or power) of the signal and / or beam generated by VECSEL 550 is directed towards 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.

[0176] 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 their 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, the control lines 515, 215 can be at least partially embodied as traces on the surface of their respective substrates. For example, some embodiments do not include vias 210, 510.

[0177] 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.

[0178] 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.

[0179] 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.

[0180] For example, when the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 620 is in the first state, the signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL 630 is directed towards the first particle position 250A, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 6. When the state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation element 620 is in the second state, the signal and / or beam emitted by the VCSEL 630 is directed towards the second particle position 250B, as shown 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), the second particle position 250B (e.g., in the second state), and / or other particle positions and / or combinations of particle positions.

[0181] 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 an optical beam / pulse 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 a 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 the crystal. For example, the ions, atoms, and / or particles of the lattice or the crystal can be used with Fano resonances and / or quasi-bound states in the continuum, for example, to provide high-quality factor resonances.

[0182] 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 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).

[0183] In an exemplary embodiment, a nanophotonic structure (e.g., a photonic crystal structure that defines 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 such. 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 that forms a portion of the nanophotonic structure (e.g., the emission surface) is configured to direct and / or control the emitted emission (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.

[0184] 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 performance 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 characteristics.

[0185] For example, FIG. 6B illustrates a manipulation source 60 formed on (and partially on) a first substrate 205, which is a laser 650 including a nanofotonic structure 640 (e.g., a photonic crystal) that defines a lateral cavity (e.g., a photonic crystal cavity). 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 (e.g., less than 50%) of the power 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.

[0186] In various embodiments, laser 650 is controlled by applying a voltage to laser 650 through laser control line 645 that extends at least partially through first substrate 205 through via 210. Signal manipulation element 620 is disposed and / or formed such that light exiting the emission aperture of a lateral cavity defined by nanofabricated structure 640 (e.g., from the emission aperture of a photonic crystal cavity embodying 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 a 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 element, and / or the like.

[0187] In various embodiments, various other forms of manipulation source 60 can be formed and / or disposed 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 disposed 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.

[0188] 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.

[0189] 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.

[0190] 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 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.

[0191] 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.

[0192] As described above, the signal manipulation element can be used to effect frequency modulation of the signal and / or beam. In various embodiments, the signal manipulation element is used to effect frequency conversion of the signal and / or beam. Such frequency conversion effects can be combined with focusing and / or directing and / or pointing of the frequency-converted signal and / or beam.

[0193] 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.

[0194] 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.

[0195] In various embodiments, the implementation of different / distinguishable 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 state of the dynamically controllable optical effect of the signal manipulation signal.

[0196] 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.

[0197] 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 that impinges on a signal manipulation element can cause an induced signal of a selected frequency to be provided at the 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.

[0198] 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-resonant and / or far-off-resonant 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 the 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.

[0199] The use of a manipulation signal of a longer wavelength (e.g., infrared, near-infrared, visible) that is up-converted 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.

[0200] 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.

[0201] In an exemplary embodiment, the pulsed incident signal and / or beam can be used to perform a readout function. For example, to determine the quantum state of a particle, the 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, the pulsed readout beam can be used to provide background-free gated detection of particle fluorescence.

[0202] In an exemplary embodiment, a pulsed incident signal and / or beam can be used to implement 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 (rather than 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 implement 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 implementation of an entangling gate configured to entangle the quantum states of at least two particles of the particle crystal.

[0203] 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 in order 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 the A / D converter 1425 and / or the like).

[0204] 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.

[0205] In an exemplary embodiment, a 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 is used 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 light provided to the photodetector and / or 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.

[0206] Exemplary Seeding and Optical Pumping of an Integrated Laser In various embodiments, the confinement assembly includes a first substrate 205, which has a plurality of potential generating elements (e.g., electrodes) formed thereon. The potential generating elements are operable and / or configured to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine one or more quantum objects. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, when an appropriate voltage signal is applied to the potential generating elements (e.g., electrodes), the potential generating elements generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine one or more quantum objects. In various embodiments, the quantum object is a neutral atom or an ionic atom (e.g., an ion); a neutral molecule, an ionic molecule, or a multipolar molecule; a quantum particle; a group or crystal of atoms or ions; and / or the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the confinement assembly includes an ion trap, such as a surface ion trap, formed by and / or at least partially defined by the potential generating elements formed on the first substrate 205.

[0207] In various embodiments, the confinement assembly further includes a second substrate 405 mounted in a fixed relationship with the first substrate 205. For example, in various embodiments, the first substrate 205 and the second substrate 405 are fixed and / or mounted to each other. In various embodiments, the second substrate 405 is mounted and / or fixed in relation to the first substrate 205 such that the surface of the first substrate 205 is substantially parallel to the corresponding surface of the second substrate 405. For example, a plane 480 defined by the surface of the second substrate 405 is parallel to a plane 280 defined by the corresponding surface of the first substrate 205. In various embodiments, the corresponding surfaces of the first substrate 205 and the second substrate 405 face each other and / or are oriented towards each other.

[0208] In various embodiments, one or more lasers, or at least a portion thereof, are formed on and / or in the first substrate 205 and / or the second substrate 405. For example, at least a portion of each gain medium, as well as the resonant structure and / or cavity (referred to herein as the resonant structure) of one or more lasers, are formed on and / or in the first substrate 205 and / or the second substrate 405. One or more lasers are said to be integrated with the confinement assembly since they are at least partially formed and / or disposed on and / or in the first substrate 205 or the second substrate 405.

[0209] In various embodiments, the resonant structure of an integrated laser is a nanophotonic structure. Such a resonant structure can be made small enough and / or have a quality factor (e.g., Q-factor) small enough to control the wavelength / frequency, linewidth, polarization, and / or optical mode emitted by a corresponding laser within tolerances allowed by an application (e.g., interacting with confined quantum objects and / or trapped particles). Various embodiments provide a technical solution to this technical problem through the use of laser seeding. For example, in various embodiments, at least one of one or more integrated lasers is configured to be seeded. For example, at least one of one or more integrated lasers is configured to interact a seeding laser beam with the gain medium and / or its resonant structure. For example, the seeding laser beam is configured to control at least one characteristic of the light emitted by the integrated laser, such as the wavelength / frequency, linewidth, polarization, and / or optical mode of the laser with which the seeding laser beam interacts with the gain medium and / or its resonant structure.

[0210] In order for the laser to emit a laser beam, power must be supplied thereto. The gain medium of the laser then converts the supplied power, or at least a portion thereof, into a laser beam or pulse emitted by the laser. To power the integrated laser, the power must be delivered to a gain medium disposed on / within a first substrate and / or a second substrate within a cryostat and / or a vacuum chamber 40. In various embodiments, electrical leads are used to provide an electrical pumping signal of sufficient power into the interior of the cryostat and / or the vacuum chamber 40. However, a significant number of leads may be required to provide voltage signals to the potential generating elements and / or signal manipulation elements 220 of the confinement assembly 200. Additionally, the leads configured to provide an electrical pumping signal to the integrated laser must be capable of transmitting a high-power electrical signal and withstanding the heating caused by the transmission of such a high-power electrical signal. In various embodiments, these technical challenges are overcome by optically pumping one or more of the integrated lasers of the confinement assembly.

[0211] For example, in various embodiments, at least one of the integrated lasers is configured to be optically pumped. For example, the laser oscillation activity of at least one integrated laser is powered by an optical pumping beam. In various embodiments, the optical pumping beam is an optical beam configured to excite the gain medium of the integrated laser so as to power the integrated laser and / or cause the integrated laser to emit its respective laser beam (e.g., a manipulation signal). In various embodiments, optical pumping of the integrated laser obviates the need for electrical leads (e.g., provided from outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 to the inside of the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40) specialized for electrically pumping the integrated laser. In various embodiments, the optical pumping beam is a laser beam. In an exemplary embodiment, the optical pumping is a high-power (e.g., powerful enough to power the laser oscillation of the integrated laser) optical beam that is not a laser beam (e.g., an optical beam that need not be monochromatic and / or coherent).

[0212] In various embodiments, the confinement assembly at least partially defines an optical path for causing a seeding laser beam to impinge on at least a portion (e.g., the gain medium and / or resonator structure) of the integrated laser. In various embodiments, the confinement assembly at least partially defines an optical path for causing an optical pumping beam to impinge on the gain medium of the integrated laser.

[0213] In various embodiments, the optical path at least partially defined by the confinement assembly includes a free-space optical path, as illustrated in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows integrated lasers 760A, 760D formed and / or disposed on a first substrate 205 on which a potential generating element 730 (e.g., 730A, 730B, 730C; electrodes) is formed. Integrated lasers 760B, 760C are formed and / or disposed on and / or within a second substrate 405 attached to and / or fixed relative to the first substrate 205. A first seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705A is incident on a first integrated laser 760A (e.g., a gain medium and / or its resonant structure). The first seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705A is generated by a manipulation source 60 disposed outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 and transmitted through an optical access window 45 of the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40. In the illustrated embodiment, the first seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705A is transmitted through a through-hole portion 450 or a transparent portion of the second substrate 405. In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path along which the first seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705A is provided includes one or more free-space optical elements (e.g., bulk optics). For example, the optical access window 45 can include a microlens array, and the first seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705A can be transmitted through each microlens of the microlens array. In another example, lenses, diffractive elements, metasurfaces, and / or the like can be disposed along the optical path (e.g., within the through-hole portion 450 and / or the like).

[0214] The second seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705B is incident on a second integrated laser 760B (e.g., a gain medium and / or its resonant structure). The second seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705B is generated by a manipulation source 60 disposed outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 and is transmitted through the optical access window 45 of the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40. In an exemplary embodiment, the optical path along which the second seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705B is provided includes one or more free-space optical elements (e.g., bulk optics). For example, the optical access window 45 can include a microlens array, and the second seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705B can be transmitted through each microlens of the microlens array. In another example, lenses, diffractive elements, metasurfaces, and / or the like can be disposed along the optical path between the optical access window 45 and the second integrated laser 760B.

[0215] In the illustrated embodiment, the third seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705C is generated by a third integrated laser 760C and is incident on a fourth integrated laser 760D (e.g., a gain medium and / or its resonant structure). For example, the confinement assembly can include one or more integrated lasers configured for the purpose of providing a seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam to one or more other integrated lasers. For example, a portion of the laser power emitted by the third integrated laser 760C can be used to seed the fourth integrated laser 760D in an exemplary embodiment, while the remaining portion of the laser power emitted by the third integrated laser 760C is used as a manipulation signal for performing one or more quantum operations (ionizing one or more quantum objects, initializing a quantum object to a predetermined quantum state, initializing a quantum object to a defined set of quantum states (e.g., a defined qubit space and / or the like), performing a quantum gate (e.g., a single qubit gate, a two qubit gate, and / or the like) on a quantum object, performing a readout operation to determine the quantum state of a quantum object, and / or the like) at one or more quantum object locations. In an exemplary embodiment, all of the laser power emitted by the third integrated laser 760C is used to seed and / or optically pump the fourth integrated laser 760D and / or multiple integrated lasers.

[0216] In various embodiments, the integrated laser includes signal manipulation elements 720 (e.g., 720A, 720B). For example, integrated laser 760A is configured to emit manipulation signals through signal manipulation element 720A, as described in detail elsewhere herein, and the manipulation signals emitted by integrated laser 760A are conditioned by signal manipulation element 720A. For example, the signal manipulation element can be configured to control the beam position / angle (direction of propagation of the emitted signal / beam), focal length, polarization, phase, frequency, beam pattern, and power (e.g., amplitude), chromatic filtering, and / or the like of the manipulation signals emitted by the integrated laser 760 and / or provided to each quantum object position defined by the confinement assembly.

[0217] In the illustrated embodiment, the first seeding laser beam and / or the optical pumping beam propagate in a direction that includes a component that traverses (e.g., is not parallel to) the plane 280 defined by the surface of the first substrate 205 on which the first integrated laser 760A is formed and / or disposed. For example, the confinement assembly 200 can at least partially define one or more optical paths for providing a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam that traverses (e.g., is not parallel to) the plane 280 defined by the first substrate 205.

[0218] In various embodiments, the confinement assembly at least partially defines one or more optical paths for providing a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam that is parallel to the plane 280 defined by the first substrate 205 and / or the plane 480 defined by the second substrate 405. Various examples of such optical paths at least partially defined by the confinement assembly are illustrated in FIGS. 8-13.

[0219] FIG. 8 illustrates a portion of the first or second substrate 205 / 405 in an exemplary embodiment, where waveguide 810 is disposed within the first or second substrate 205 / 405 and is configured to provide a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam to integrated laser 860. In the illustrated embodiment, waveguide 810 is coupled to integrated laser 860 via out-of-plane coupler 815. For example, waveguide 810 is displaced in the y direction from integrated laser 860 as illustrated in FIG. 8. For example, waveguide 810 is disposed further away from surface 880 of the first or second substrate 205 / 405 than integrated laser 860. Out-of-plane coupler 815 is configured to couple a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam propagating through waveguide 810 out of the plane of waveguide 810 and onto integrated laser 860 such that the seeding laser beam and / or the optical pumping beam is incident on the gain medium and / or resonator structure of integrated laser 860. In various embodiments, out-of-plane coupler 815 is a grating coupler, a metasurface coupler (e.g., a coupler including a metasurface and / or a metamaterial), and / or other optical coupler configured to couple light out of the plane of waveguide 810. In various embodiments, out-of-plane coupler 815 is configured to couple all of the seeding laser beam and / or the optical pumping beam out of waveguide 810 and onto integrated laser 860. In various embodiments, out-of-plane coupler 815 is configured to couple a fraction f of the seeding laser beam and / or the optical pumping beam out of waveguide 810 and onto integrated laser 860, where 0 < f < 1.

[0220] FIG. 9 illustrates a portion of the first or second substrate 205 / 405 in an exemplary embodiment, where waveguide 910 is configured to provide a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam to integrated lasers 960A, 960B using evanescent coupling. Evanescent coupling between the waveguide and a target (e.g., the gain medium and / or resonant structure of the integrated laser) occurs when the waveguide is sufficiently close to the target such that an evanescent field (e.g., near-field / non-propagating electromagnetic field) generated by the seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam propagating through the waveguide physically overlaps the target. For example, the first integrated laser 960A is disposed at a first distance d A from the waveguide 910, and the second integrated laser 960B is disposed at a second distance d B from the waveguide 910. The first and second distances are configured such that when the seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam propagates through the waveguide 910, the evanescent field generated by the propagation of the seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam through the waveguide 910 is incident on and / or physically overlaps the first and second integrated lasers 960A, 960B.

[0221] The strength of the coupling between the first and second integrated lasers 960A, 960B and the seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam propagating through the waveguide 910 is determined and / or controlled by the distance between the waveguide 910 and each integrated laser. For example, the first distance d A is greater than the second distance d B . Accordingly, the strength of the coupling of the first integrated laser 960A to the seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam propagating through the waveguide 910 is less than the strength of the coupling of the second integrated laser 960B to the seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam propagating through the waveguide 910.

[0222] In various embodiments, to prevent a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam that propagates through a waveguide and / or vibrates an electromagnetic field in an integrated laser from evanescently coupling to a potential generating element 930 (e.g., 930A, 930B) and / or a signal manipulation element 920 formed on the first and / or second substrate 205 / 405, the first and / or second substrate 205 / 405 can include one or more shields 935. In various embodiments, the one or more shields 935 are formed of a conductive material and are grounded to shield respective portions and / or areas of the first and / or second substrate 205 / 405 from the electromagnetic field in the substrate.

[0223] FIG. 10 illustrates a portion of a first or second substrate 205 / 405 that includes a waveguide 1010 configured to provide a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam to an integrated laser 1060 via a direct coupling or edge coupling 1015. In an exemplary embodiment, the direct coupling or edge coupling 1015 is a butt coupling, in which the waveguide 1010 terminates at the integrated laser 1060 (e.g., a gain medium and / or its resonant structure). For example, the waveguide 1010 and the integrated laser 1060 can be formed at a depth in the first or second substrate 205 / 405 such that the waveguide 1010 can be directly coupled (e.g., butt coupled) to the integrated laser 1060. In an exemplary embodiment, the direct coupling or edge coupling 1015 includes a signal manipulation element (e.g., a diffractive optical element such as a lens, a metasurface lens, and / or the like).

[0224] In various embodiments, waveguides 810, 910, 1010 are non-planar waveguides configured to provide two-dimensional transverse optical confinement. For example, in various embodiments, waveguides 810, 910, 1010 provide optical confinement in both the y and z directions as illustrated in their respective figures. In various embodiments, waveguides 810, 910, 1010 are planar waveguides or slab waveguides configured to provide optical confinement in one transverse direction. For example, in various embodiments, waveguides 810, 910, 1010 provide optical confinement only in the y direction as illustrated in their respective figures.

[0225] FIG. 11 illustrates a portion of a first or second substrate 205 / 405 that includes a planar waveguide or slab waveguide 1110 configured to provide a seeding laser beam and / or an optical coupling beam to a first integrated laser 1160A and a second integrated laser 1160B. The planar waveguide or slab waveguide 1110 is configured such that a plurality of seeding laser beams and / or optical coupling beams propagate therethrough, and each seeding laser beam and / or optical coupling beam is characterized by a different wavelength and / or a different polarization. Each integrated laser 1160 (e.g., 1160A, 1160B) is coupled to the planar waveguide or slab waveguide 1110 via respective out-of-plane couplers 1115 (e.g., 1115A, 1115B). Each out-of-plane coupler 1115 is configured to resonate selectively. For example, the first out-of-plane coupler 1115A is configured to resonate only with an optical signal of a first wavelength. Thus, the first out-of-plane coupler 1115A couples only the first integrated laser 1160A to a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam that propagates through the planar waveguide or slab waveguide 1110 characterized by the first wavelength. The second out-of-plane coupler 1115B is configured to resonate only with an optical signal of a second wavelength. Thus, the second out-of-plane coupler 1115B couples only the second integrated laser 1160B to a seeding laser beam and / or an optical pumping beam that propagates through the planar waveguide or slab waveguide 1110 characterized by the second wavelength. This enables different seeding laser beams and / or optical pumping beams to be provided through the same waveguide while providing appropriate seeding laser beams and / or optical pumping beams to respective integrated lasers. In various embodiments, the out-of-plane coupler 1115 is a grating coupler, a metasurface coupler, and / or other out-of-plane coupler configured to resonate with light having a particular wavelength or light having a particular polarization.

[0226] FIG. 12 illustrates a portion of the first or second substrate 205 / 405, where a plurality of integrated lasers 1260 (e.g., 1260A, 1260B, 1260C) are daisy-chained together using waveguides 1210 (e.g., 1210A, 1210B). The first integrated laser 1260A can be seeded by a seeding laser beam generated by a manipulation source 60 disposed outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40. A portion of the laser beam emitted by the first integrated laser 1260A is provided as a seeding laser beam to the second integrated laser 1260B (e.g., via the first waveguide 1210A). A portion of the laser beam emitted by the second integrated laser 1260B is provided as a seeding laser beam to the third integrated laser 1260C (e.g., via the second waveguide 1210B). This enables multiple integrated lasers to be seeded using only one optical beam delivered from outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40, such that the number of optical signals required to be delivered from outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 to the inside of the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 does not need to scale linearly with the number of integrated lasers in the confinement assembly.

[0227] FIG. 13 illustrates a portion of the first or second substrate 205 / 405, which has a plurality of integrated lasers 1360 (e.g., 1360A, 1360B, 1360C, 1360D, 1360E, 1360F, 1360G) formed thereon / therein. The first integrated laser 1360A can be seeded by a seeding laser beam generated by a manipulation source 60 disposed outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40. At least a portion of the laser beam emitted by the first integrated laser 1360A is provided as a seeding laser beam to the second integrated laser 1360B and the third integrated laser 1360C. For example, at least a portion of the laser beam emitted by the first integrated laser 1360A can be transmitted through a non-planar waveguide including a beam splitter and / or a slab waveguide, and at least a portion of the laser beam emitted by the first integrated laser 1360A is adapted to seed the second and third integrated lasers 1360B, 1360C. In various embodiments, at least a portion of the laser beam emitted by the first integrated laser 1360A used to seed other integrated lasers 1360 can be used to seed two or more (e.g., two, three, four, six, and / or the like) other integrated lasers formed on and / or in the first substrate 205 or the second substrate 405. At least a portion of the laser beam emitted by the second integrated laser 1360B is used to seed the fourth and fifth integrated lasers 1360D, 1360E, and at least a portion of the laser beam emitted by the third integrated laser 1360C is used to seed the sixth and seventh integrated lasers 1360F, 1360G.This enables multiple integrated lasers to be seeded using only one optical beam delivered from outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40, such that the number of optical signals required to be delivered from outside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 to inside the cryostat and / or vacuum chamber 40 need not scale linearly with the number of integrated lasers of the confinement assembly. Moreover, the seeding laser beam provided to the seventh integrated laser 1360G is only two steps away from the seeding laser beam provided to the first integrated laser 1360A. Thus, the characteristics (e.g., wavelength / frequency, linewidth, polarization, and / or optical mode) of the seeding laser beam provided to the seventh integrated laser 1360G experience less perturbation and / or are less affected by noise than would be the case if the seeding laser beam provided to the seventh integrated laser 1360G were seven steps away from the seeding laser beam provided to the first integrated laser 1360A.

[0228] As shown in FIG. 7, an integrated laser 760 formed on and / or in a second substrate 405 can be used to seed one or more integrated lasers 760 formed on and / or in a first substrate 205, and vice versa. In various embodiments, the integrated lasers can be configured to provide seeding laser beams to one or more other integrated lasers of the confinement assembly via one or more optical paths as illustrated in any of FIGS. 7-13 and / or combinations thereof.

[0229] In various embodiments, the seeding laser beam is constantly provided to one or more integrated lasers during the operation of the confinement assembly. In various embodiments, the seeding laser beam is selectively provided to one or more integrated lasers (e.g., when the integrated laser is, or will be, lasing within the next second or so). In embodiments where the integrated laser is pumped or powered using an optical pumping beam, the optical pumping beam is provided to the integrated laser, causing the integrated laser to emit a laser beam. For example, the optical pumping beam is provided to the integrated laser to control when the integrated lasers each emit their respective laser beams.

[0230] 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 quantum 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.

[0231] As shown in FIG. 14, in various embodiments, the controller 30 can include various controller elements, including a processing device 1405, a memory 1410, a driver controller element 1415, a communication interface 1420, an analog-to-digital converter element 1425, and / or the like. For example, the processing device 1405 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 1405 of the controller 30 includes a clock and / or communicates with a clock.

[0232] For example, memory 1410 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 1410 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 the qubits of the 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 1410 (e.g., by processing device 1405) causes controller 30 to perform one or more of the steps, operations, processes, procedures, and / or the like described herein to provide a manipulation signal to a quantum object location and / or to collect, detect, capture, and / or measure an indication of an emission signal emitted by a quantum object located at a corresponding quantum object location of confinement assembly 200.

[0233] In various embodiments, the driver controller element 1415 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 1415 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 1405). In various embodiments, the driver controller element 1415 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 another driver for providing a driver action sequence to a potential generating element of a quantum 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 1425 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.

[0234] In various embodiments, the controller 30 can include a communication interface 1420 for interfacing and / or communicating with the computing entity 10. For example, the controller 30 can receive executable instructions, command sets, and / or the like from the computing entity 10, and provide to the computing entity 10 the output received from (e.g., from the optics collection system 70 of) the quantum computer 110 and / or the result 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.

[0235] Exemplary Computing Entity FIG. 15 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 receive, display, analyze, and / or the like the output from the quantum computer 110.

[0236] As shown in FIG. 15, computing entity 10 can include antenna 1512, transmitter 1504 (e.g., radio), receiver 1506 (e.g., radio), and processing device 1508, where processing device 1508 provides signals to transmitter 1504 and receives signals from receiver 1506. The signals provided to transmitter 1504 and received from receiver 1506 can include signaling information / data compliant with the air interface standard 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 communication 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), Ultra Wideband (UWB), Infrared (IR) protocol, Near Field Communication (NFC) protocol, Wibree, Bluetooth 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.

[0237] 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.

[0238] For example, processing device 1508 can include one or more processing elements such as a programmable logic device (CPLD), microprocessor, coprocessing entity, application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP), integrated circuit, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable logic array (PLA), 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.

[0239] In various embodiments, computing entity 10 can include, for example, a network interface 1520 for interfacing and / or communicating with controller 30. For example, computing entity 10 can include a network interface 1520 for providing executable instructions, a command set, and / or the like for reception by controller 30 and / or for receiving the results of processing of output provided by and / or output from 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.

[0240] In addition, computing entity 10 may also include a user interface device including one or more user input / output interfaces (for example, a display 1516 and / or a speaker / speaker driver coupled to processing device 1508, and a touch screen, keyboard, mouse, and / or microphone coupled to processing device 1508). 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 1518 (hard or soft), a touch display, a voice / speech or motion interface, a scanner, a reader, or other input device. In embodiments including keypad 1518, keypad 1518 can include (or cause the display of) conventional numbers (0-9) and related 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, for example, a screen saver and / or sleep mode. Through such input, computing entity 10 can collect information / data, user interaction / input, and / or the like.

[0241] Also, computing entity 10 can include volatile storage or memory 1522 and / or non-volatile storage or memory 1524, 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.

[0242] 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. Specific terms are used herein, but they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Description of Symbols

[0243] 5 particles 10 computing entities 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 induction signal 270 emission signal, stimulation signal 275 collection signal 280 plane 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 450 through-hole part 480 plane 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 705A First seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705B Second seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 705C Third seeding laser beam and / or optical pumping beam 720, 720A, 720B Signal manipulation element 730, 730A, 730B, 730C Potential generation element 760A First integrated laser 760B Second integrated laser 760C Third integrated laser 760D Fourth integrated laser 810 Waveguide 815 Out-of-plane coupler 860 Integrated laser 880 Surface 910 Waveguide 920 Signal manipulation element 930, 930A, 930B Potential Generation Element 935 Shield 960A First Integrated Laser 960B Second Integrated Laser 1010 Waveguide 1015 Direct Coupling, Edge Coupling 1060 Integrated Laser 1110 Planar Waveguide, Slab Waveguide 1115 Out-of-Plane Coupler 1115A First Out-of-Plane Coupler 1115B Second Out-of-Plane Coupler 1160 Integrated Laser 1160A First Integrated Laser 1160B Second Integrated Laser 1210 Waveguide 1210A First Waveguide 1210B Second Waveguide 1260 Integrated Laser 1260A First Integrated Laser 1260B Second Integrated Laser 1260C Third Integrated Laser 1360 Integrated Laser 1360A First Integrated Laser 1360B Second Integrated Laser 1360C Third Integrated Laser 1360D Fourth Integrated Laser 1360E Fifth Integrated Laser 1360F Sixth Integrated Laser 1360G Seventh Integrated Laser 1405 Processing Device 1410 Memory 1415 Driver Controller Element 1420 Communication Interface 1425 Analog-to-Digital Converter Element 1504 Transmitter 1506 Receiver 1508 Processing Device 1512 Antenna 1516 Display 1508 Processing Device 1520 Network Interface 1522 Volatile Storage or Memory 1524 Non-Volatile Storage or Memory d A First Distance d B Second Distance φ Angle

Claims

1. A confinement assembly configured to confine one or more quantum objects, A first substrate having a plurality of potential generating elements formed thereon, the potential generating elements being operable to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine the one or more quantum objects; a first substrate; Optionally, a second substrate fixed to the first substrate; At least a portion of a laser formed on one of the first substrate or the second substrate, the at least a portion of the laser including at least a portion of a gain medium and a resonant structure; at least a portion of a laser; Comprising, Defining at least in part an optical path for causing at least one optical beam to interact with the at least a portion of the laser, the at least one optical beam being (a) a seeding laser beam configured to control at least one characteristic of light emitted by the laser, or (b) an optical pumping beam configured to power the laser oscillation activity of the laser; a confinement assembly.

2. The confinement assembly according to claim 1, wherein the optical path for providing the at least one optical beam includes a free space optical path.

3. The confinement assembly according to claim 2, wherein the free space optical path is at least partially defined by one or more free space optics elements.

4. The optical path is configured to cause the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser by causing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of the gain medium or the resonant structure, the confinement assembly according to claim 1.

5. The optical path includes a waveguide disposed in at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate, the confinement assembly according to claim 1.

6. The waveguide is configured to cause the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser by one of (i) providing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of the gain medium or the resonant structure via an out-of-plane coupler, (ii) providing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of the gain medium or the resonant structure via an edge coupling, or (iii) causing the at least one optical beam to interact with the gain medium via an evanescent coupling, the confinement assembly according to claim 5.

7. The waveguide is a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is configured to cause the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser via at least one of an out-of-plane coupler, an evanescent coupling, or a direct coupling, the confinement assembly according to claim 5.

8. The waveguide is a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is optically coupled to at least a portion of the laser via a metasurface coupler, the confinement assembly according to claim 5.

9. The slab waveguide is configured to have two or more optical beams propagating therethrough, the two or more optical beams being different from each other in at least one of wavelength or polarization, and the metasurface coupler is configured to cause at least a portion of the laser to interact with only one of the two or more optical beams. The confinement assembly according to claim 8.

10. The at least one optical beam is generated by either (a) an external laser source external to the confinement assembly or (b) an integrated laser that is part of the confinement assembly. The confinement assembly according to claim 1.

11. The second substrate at least partially defines the optical path for causing the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser. The confinement assembly according to claim 1.

12. A confinement assembly configured to confine one or more quantum objects, A first substrate having a plurality of potential generating elements formed on the first substrate, the potential generating elements being operable to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine the one or more quantum objects; a first substrate; A second substrate attached to the first substrate; At least a portion of a laser formed on the second substrate, the at least a portion of the laser including at least a portion of a gain medium and a resonant structure; at least a portion of a laser; including, An optical path that at least partially defines an optical path for causing at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser, wherein the at least one optical beam is (a) a seeding laser beam configured to control at least one characteristic of the light emitted by the laser, or (b) an optical pumping beam configured to power the laser oscillation activity of the laser, a confinement assembly. Claim 13 The confinement assembly according to claim 12, wherein the optical path includes at least one waveguide disposed in at least one of the first substrate or the second substrate. Claim 14 The confinement assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least one waveguide is configured to cause the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser by (a) providing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of the gain medium or the resonant structure through an out-of-plane coupler, (b) providing the at least one optical beam to be incident on at least one of the gain medium or the resonant structure through an edge coupling, or (c) causing the at least one optical beam to interact with the gain medium through an evanescent coupling. Claim 15 The confinement assembly according to claim 13, wherein the at least one waveguide includes a slab waveguide, and the slab waveguide is configured to cause the at least one optical beam to interact with at least a portion of the laser through at least one of an out-of-plane coupler, an evanescent coupling, or a direct coupling. Claim 16 The at least one waveguide includes a slab waveguide, the slab waveguide being coupled to at least a portion of the laser via a metasurface coupler, the slab waveguide being configured to have two or more optical beams propagating therethrough, the two or more optical beams being different from each other in at least one of wavelength or polarization, the metasurface coupler being configured to cause at least a portion of the laser to interact with only one of the two or more optical beams. The confinement assembly according to claim 13.

17. The at least one optical beam is generated by either (a) an external laser source external to the confinement assembly or (b) an integrated laser that is part of the confinement assembly. The confinement assembly according to claim 12.

18. A confinement assembly configured to confine one or more quantum objects, A first substrate having a plurality of potential generating elements formed on the first substrate, the potential generating elements being operable to generate one or more confinement regions configured to confine the one or more quantum objects; a first substrate; Each portion of a plurality of lasers formed as part of the confinement assembly, at least one of the plurality of lasers being configured to provide a respective seed laser beam to at least one other of the plurality of lasers; each portion of the plurality of lasers; A confinement assembly comprising.

19. The at least one other of the plurality of lasers is configured to provide a respective seed laser beam to another of the plurality of lasers. The confinement assembly according to claim 18.

20. The optical path configured to provide the respective seed laser beams from the at least one laser to the at least one other laser includes a splitter, and the at least one other laser of the plurality of lasers includes two or more lasers of the plurality of lasers, the confinement assembly according to claim 18.

21. The at least one laser is configured to be seeded by an external laser that is external to the confinement assembly, the confinement assembly according to claim 18.

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