Quantum information processing with microcavities on atom chips
Scalable, fibre-coupled Fabry-Perot-type optical cavities with single-atom detection sensitivity have been developed, and have been used for the detection of atoms and the generation of photons via enhanced spontaneous emission. Recent developments in fabrication methods should lead to significant improvements in these devices. The first goal with these improved devices will be to increase the fidelity of single-atom detection, an essential step in the preparation of stationary qubits on atom chips. A further area of work is the deterministic transport of atoms into the cavity mode. For this purpose, it is intended to implement the magnetic trapping and guiding techniques developed in the group's other atom chip experiments which will enable repeatable positioning of samples of cold atoms of controlled size within the strongest portion of the cavity field. Furthermore, it is intended to deterministically generate single photons on demand with high repetition rates. Finally, the scalability of the devices will be used to couple atoms to multiple cavities on a single chip. Together with the generation of single photons in each atom-cavity system, this work will lead towards the measurement-based entanglement of two atom-cavity systems.
For further information contact Ed Hinds