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Physica Scripta

Quantum information processing and quantum control with trapped atomic ions

David J. Wineland

Published Dec 1, 2009• 24 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The role of trapped atomic ions in the field of quantum information processing is briefly reviewed. We discuss some of the historical developments that enabled ions to enter the field and then summarize the basic mechanisms required for logic gates and the use of the gates in demonstrating simple algorithms. We describe potential pathways to reach fault-tolerant error levels and large-scale devices, and highlight some of the main problems that will be faced in achieving these goals. Possible near-term applications in applied and basic science, such as in metrology and quantum simulation, are discussed.

DOI
10.1088/0031-8949/2009/t137/014007

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The role of trapped atomic ions in the field of quantum information processing is briefly reviewed. We discuss some of the historical developments that enabled ions to enter the field and then summarize the basic mechanisms required for logic gates and the use of the gates in demonstrating simple algorithms. We describe potential pathways to reach fault-tolerant error levels and large-scale devices, and highlight some of the main problems that will be faced in achieving these goals. Possible near-term applications in applied and basic science, such as in metrology and quantum simulation, are discussed.
The use of trapped atomic ions in the field of quantum information processing is briefly reviewed. We summarize the basic mechanisms required for logic gates and the use of the gates in demonstrating simple algorithms. We discuss the potential of trapped ions to reach fault-tolerant error levels in a large-scale system, and highlight some of the problems that will be faced in achieving this goal. Possible near-term applications in applied and basic science, such as in metrology and quantum simulation, are briefly discussed.
The basic requirements for quantum computing and quantum simulation (single‐ and multi‐qubit gates, long memory times, etc.) have been demonstrated in separate experiments on trapped ions. Construction of a large‐scale information processor will require synthesis of these elements and implementation of high‐fidelity operations on a very large number of qubits. This is still well in the future. NIST and other groups are addressing part of the scaling issue by trying to fabricate multi‐zone arrays of traps that would allow highly‐parallel and scalable processing. In the near term, some simple quantum processing protocols are being used to aid in quantum metrology, such as in atomic clocks. As the number of qubits increases, Schrödinger’s cat paradox and the measurement problem in quantum mechanics become more apparent; with luck, trapped ion systems might be able to shed light on these fundamental issues.
This chapter reviews the basic experimental techniques which enable quantum information processing (QIP) with trapped ions and, more briefly, with trapped atoms. In particular, it is explained how the fundamental concepts of quantum computing, such as quantum bits (qubits), qubit rotations, and quantum gates, translate into experimental procedures in a quantum optics laboratory. Furthermore, the recent progress of quantum computing with ions and atoms is summarised, and new approaches to meet the future challenges of scaling up QIP and of atom-photon qubit interfacing are discussed. The chapter is intended to provide an intuitive understanding of the subject and enable the non-specialist student to appreciate the paradigmatic role and the potential of trapped single ions and atoms in the field of quantum computation or, more generally, of quantum optical information technology.
Trapped ions are among the most promising systems for practical quantum computing (QC). The basic requirements for universal QC have all been demonstrated with ions, and quantum algorithms using few-ion-qubit systems have been implemented. We review the state of the field, covering the basics of how trapped ions are used for QC and their strengths and limitations as qubits. In addition, we discuss what is being done, and what may be required, to increase the scale of trapped ion quantum computers while mitigating decoherence and control errors. Finally, we explore the outlook for trapped-ion QC. In particular, we discuss near-term applications, considerations impacting the design of future systems of trapped ions, and experiments and demonstrations that may further inform these considerations.
We first consider the basic requirements for a quantum computer, arguing for the attractiveness of nuclear spins as information-bearing entities, and light for the coupling which allows quantum gates. We then survey the strengths of and immediate prospects for quantum information processing in ion traps. We discuss decoherence and gate rates in ion traps, comparing methods based on the vibrational motion with a method based on exchange of photons in cavity QED. We then sketch the main features of a quantum computer designed to allow an algorithm needing 106 Toffoli gates on 100 logical qubits. We find that around 200 ion traps linked by optical fibres and high-finesse cavities could perform such an algorithm in a week to a month, using components at or near current levels of technology.