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Diffractive and Gray-Scale Optical Integration for Ion Traps

Shanalyn Kemme, Sandia National Laboratories

(Session : Thursday from )

Abstract. Trapped ion quantum bits are one of the most robust forms of quantum memory. The ion quantum bit interconnect is optical for both information delivery as well as information collection. In order to interface such a quantum memory with photonic qubits for long distance communications, or even to optically read the state of a trapped ion quantum memory, light must be efficiently collected from individual ions. Additionally, trapped ions are manipulated with externally supplied lasers. With the emergence of ion-trap chips, it is natural to merge the delivery and collection optics with ion-trap chip hardware. Advances here include the integration of micro-scale lenses, micropolarizers, microwaveplates, and fibers with micro-fabricated trap structures. We are designing, fabricating, and demonstrating the key aspects of optical interconnects that are necessary for ion-trap optics: namely, high numerical aperture (NA) diffractive optical elements (DOEs) that are arrayed with the remarkable lateral alignment precision inherent in electron beam mask definition. Sandia National Laboratories can enable a leap ahead in ion-photon interfaces for quantum computing by coupling the DOE design and fabrication technology with the ion-trap design and fabrication technology to produce a hybrid integration that simultaneously addresses efficient optical coupling configurations, fabrication yield, and facile implementation for the ion-trap user community.