Single-Sided Standing Wave Excitation for Trapped Ions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for exciting trapped ions in applications like quantum computing face challenges due to limited optical access, particularly in setups with ion traps where electrodes restrict access to the ions.
Innovation Solution
The use of two laser beams with different frequencies, focused by a common lens, to create a moving standing wave that induces a state-dependent force on the trapped ion, allowing for single-sided access and excitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple laser beams are used to excite trapped ions, then excitation efficiency is improved, but optical access requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines two separate laser beams into a single optical path using beam combining optics. The beams are merged and directed through a common objective lens to focus on the trapped ion, enabling efficient excitation while accessing the ion trap through a single optical port. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining high excitation efficiency (using multiple beams) while simplifying optical access requirements (single port).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a standing wave configuration where two laser beams propagate in opposite directions along the same optical axis. By transforming the problem from spatial separation of multiple beams to temporal interference patterns (standing waves), the system achieves effective multi-beam excitation through a single optical access point, resolving the contradiction between excitation efficiency and optical access simplicity.
2Device complexity
If a common lens is used to focus multiple laser beams, then device complexity is reduced, but beam alignment precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a common objective lens as an intermediary optical element that receives and focuses multiple combined laser beams. This intermediary component simplifies the overall optical system by consolidating focusing functionality into a single element, while the beam combining optics upstream ensure proper alignment before the beams enter the common lens, thus resolving the contradiction between device simplicity and alignment precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables efficient excitation and entanglement of trapped ions, overcoming the limitations of optical access in ion trap setups, facilitating quantum operations such as quantum gates.
Implementation Method 1
producing a standing wave by combining two laser beams that are both focused by a common lens
Implementation Method 2
A moving standing wave is generated at a position of a trapped ion, which induces a force on the trapped ion
Implementation Method 3
an objective configured to focus the first laser beam and the second laser beam at a position of the trapped ion, wherein the first laser beam and the second laser beam pass through at least one common lens within the objective
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments in the present disclosure relate to an apparatus and methods to excite a trapped ion. A first laser beam and a second laser beam pass through at least one common lens of an objective. The two laser beams are focused by said objective at the position of the trapped ion. A moving standing wave is generated at the position of the trapped ion, which induces a force on the trapped ion. Two ions may be entangled by generating such moving standing wave at the respective positions of both of said ions.