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MEMS-based design of a high-finesse fiber cavity integrated with an ion trap

Moonjoo Lee, Minjae Lee, Seokjun Hong, Klemens Schüppert, Y. Kwon, Taehyun Kim, Yves Colombe, Tracy E. Northup, Dong‐il Cho, R. Blatt

Published Jul 17, 2019• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

We present a numerical study of a MEMS-based design of a fiber cavity integrated with an ion trap system. Each fiber mirror is supported by a microactuator that controls the mirror's position in three dimensions. The mechanical stability is investigated by a feasibility analysis showing that the actuator offers a stable support of the fiber. The actuators move the fibers' positions continuously with a stroke of more than 10 $\mu$m, with mechanical resonance frequencies on the order of kHz. A calculation of the trapping potential shows that a separation between ion and fiber consistent with strong ion-cavity coupling is feasible. Our miniaturized ion-photon interface constitutes a viable approach to integrated hardware for quantum information.

Related papers

Microelectromechanical-System-Based Design of a High-Finesse Fiber Cavity Integrated with an Ion Trap

Moonjoo Lee, Minjae Lee, Seokjun Hong +7 more

The ion-cavity quantum interface is an important building block for tomorrow's quantum networks, but miniaturizing such devices remains an outstanding challenge. This study introduces and characterizes an on-chip design that uses microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) technology to integrate a fiber-based optical resonator with an ion trap. Simulations show that the device's performance is expected to be similar to that of much larger existing systems, and that it is compatible with strong ion-cavity coupling. A MEMS approach thus offers a promising route to scalable quantum networks based on miniaturized, fast, high-fidelity interfaces.

arXiv:1907.07594•Physical Review Applied•Oct 23, 2019•15 citations

Design and fabrication of metal-shielded fiber-cavity mirrors for ion-trap systems

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Abstract Trapped ions in micro-cavities constitute a key platform for advancing quantum information processing and quantum networking. By providing an efficient light–matter interface within a compact architecture, they serve as highly efficient quantum nodes with strong potential for a scalable quantum network. However, in such systems, ion trapping stability is often compromised by surface charging effects, and nearby dielectric materials are known to cause a dramatic increase in the ion heating rate by several orders of magnitude. These challenges significantly hinder the practical implementation of ion trap systems integrated with micro-cavities. To overcome these limitations, we present the design and fabrication of metal-shielded fiber-cavity mirrors, enabling the stable realization of ion trap systems integrated with fiber cavities. Using this method, we constructed a needle ion trap integrated with a fiber Fabry–Pérot cavity and successfully achieved stable trapping of a single ion within the cavity. The measured ion heating rate was reduced by more than an order of magnitude compared with unshielded configurations. This work establishes a key technique toward fully integrated ion–photon interfaces for scalable quantum networks.

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Integrated fiber-mirror ion trap for strong ion-cavity coupling

B. Brandstätter, Andrew McClung, Klemens Schüppert +8 more

We present and characterize fiber mirrors and a miniaturized ion-trap design developed to integrate a fiber-based Fabry-Perot cavity (FFPC) with a linear Paul trap for use in cavity-QED experiments with trapped ions. Our fiber-mirror fabrication process not only enables the construction of FFPCs with small mode volumes, but also allows us to minimize the influence of the dielectric fiber mirrors on the trapped-ion pseudopotential. We discuss the effect of clipping losses for long FFPCs and the effect of angular and lateral displacements on the coupling efficiencies between cavity and fiber. Optical profilometry allows us to determine the radii of curvature and ellipticities of the fiber mirrors. From finesse measurements, we infer a single-atom cooperativity of up to 12 for FFPCs longer than 200 μm in length; comparison to cavities constructed with reference substrate mirrors produced in the same coating run indicates that our FFPCs have similar scattering losses. We characterize the birefringence of our fiber mirrors, finding that careful fiber-mirror selection enables us to construct FFPCs with degenerate polarization modes. As FFPCs are novel devices, we describe procedures developed for handling, aligning, and cleaning them. We discuss experiments to anneal fiber mirrors and explore the influence of the atmosphere under which annealing occurs on coating losses, finding that annealing under vacuum increases the losses for our reference substrate mirrors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that these losses may be attributable to oxygen depletion in the mirror coating. Special design considerations enable us to introduce a FFPC into a trapped ion setup. Our unique linear Paul trap design provides clearance for such a cavity and is miniaturized to shield trapped ions from the dielectric fiber mirrors. We numerically calculate the trap potential in the absence of fibers. In the experiment additional electrodes can be used to compensate distortions of the potential due to the fibers. Home-built fiber feedthroughs connect the FFPC to external optics, and an integrated nanopositioning system affords the possibility of retracting or realigning the cavity without breaking vacuum.

arXiv:1311.6961•Review of Scientific Instruments•Dec 1, 2013•89 citations

Towards an integrated ion trap - cavity system with strong coupling for multiple ions

Jack Morphew

Precise control over internal states of atomic ions in ion traps has been possible for many years enabling high precision spectroscopy of atomic transitions. Trapped ions are suitable candidates for quantum information processing due to their long storage times, low decoherence rates and high readout efficiency. Recent advances in micro-machining fibre optic mirrors and integrated fibre optic-ion trap systems for cavity QED allows one to realise strong coupling between an ion and a cavity mode by reducing the mode volume. For strong ion-cavity coupling, deterministic transfer of quantum states between ions and photons is possible. We have designed and constructed a miniaturised linear Paul trap with an integrated optical cavity, intended for coupling multiple ions to the cavity mode. The RF-electrode separation is 50μm, while the endcap separation is 350μm. The endcap electrodes are narrow tubes of inner diameter 300μm allowing optical fibers through the tubes to form the cavity. The trap depth we calculate to be 650meV for a 10V applied potential at 20MHz. The 4P1⁄2→ 3D3⁄2 transition of the atomic ion 40Ca+ with Γ = 24π × 22MHz can be coupled to an optical fibre Fabry-Perot cavity with length of 380µm, finesse of 33,000 and cavity linewidth k = 2π ×11MHz.The ion-cavity coherent coupling g = 2π × 19:5MHz of this system will put it in single-ion strong coupling regime with cooperativity, C=1.5.

•Sep 1, 2016•0 citations

Towards Strong Coupling between a Single Ion and a Fiber Cavity

Hiroki Takahashi

We review the recent developments towards strong coupling of a single ion in cavity QED, in particular by using optical fiber cavities. We also summarize our efforts along the same line being pursued at Sussex University. The main issue in cavity QED with trapped ions has been the incompatibility of dielectric mirrors in trapping potentials. As consequence the mirrors of a cavity have to be further retracted from the ion, rendering the cavity volume rather big to sacrifice the ion-cavity coupling. However, the emerging fiber cavity technology is expected to largely mitigate this difficulty and yet achieve excellent resonator-quality. Achieving strong coupling with single trapped ions enables one to build a highly reliable and controllable quantum interface between matter and light to be used in quantum network. It could also open up new possibilities such as manipulating photonic quantum states via the quantum computing toolbox of ion trap.

The Review of Laser Engineering•Jan 1, 2013•0 citations
We present a numerical study of a MEMS-based design of a fiber cavity integrated with an ion trap system. Each fiber mirror is supported by a microactuator that controls the mirror's position in three dimensions. The mechanical stability is investigated by a feasibility analysis showing that the actuator offers a stable support of the fiber. The actuators move the fibers' positions continuously with a stroke of more than 10 μ\muμm, with mechanical resonance frequencies on the order of kHz. A calculation of the trapping potential shows that a separation between ion and fiber consistent with strong ion-cavity coupling is feasible. Our miniaturized ion-photon interface constitutes a viable approach to integrated hardware for quantum information.
The ion-cavity quantum interface is an important building block for tomorrow's quantum networks, but miniaturizing such devices remains an outstanding challenge. This study introduces and characterizes an on-chip design that uses microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) technology to integrate a fiber-based optical resonator with an ion trap. Simulations show that the device's performance is expected to be similar to that of much larger existing systems, and that it is compatible with strong ion-cavity coupling. A MEMS approach thus offers a promising route to scalable quantum networks based on miniaturized, fast, high-fidelity interfaces.
Abstract Trapped ions in micro-cavities constitute a key platform for advancing quantum information processing and quantum networking. By providing an efficient light–matter interface within a compact architecture, they serve as highly efficient quantum nodes with strong potential for a scalable quantum network. However, in such systems, ion trapping stability is often compromised by surface charging effects, and nearby dielectric materials are known to cause a dramatic increase in the ion heating rate by several orders of magnitude. These challenges significantly hinder the practical implementation of ion trap systems integrated with micro-cavities. To overcome these limitations, we present the design and fabrication of metal-shielded fiber-cavity mirrors, enabling the stable realization of ion trap systems integrated with fiber cavities. Using this method, we constructed a needle ion trap integrated with a fiber Fabry–Pérot cavity and successfully achieved stable trapping of a single ion within the cavity. The measured ion heating rate was reduced by more than an order of magnitude compared with unshielded configurations. This work establishes a key technique toward fully integrated ion–photon interfaces for scalable quantum networks.
We present and characterize fiber mirrors and a miniaturized ion-trap design developed to integrate a fiber-based Fabry-Perot cavity (FFPC) with a linear Paul trap for use in cavity-QED experiments with trapped ions. Our fiber-mirror fabrication process not only enables the construction of FFPCs with small mode volumes, but also allows us to minimize the influence of the dielectric fiber mirrors on the trapped-ion pseudopotential. We discuss the effect of clipping losses for long FFPCs and the effect of angular and lateral displacements on the coupling efficiencies between cavity and fiber. Optical profilometry allows us to determine the radii of curvature and ellipticities of the fiber mirrors. From finesse measurements, we infer a single-atom cooperativity of up to 12 for FFPCs longer than 200 μm in length; comparison to cavities constructed with reference substrate mirrors produced in the same coating run indicates that our FFPCs have similar scattering losses. We characterize the birefringence of our fiber mirrors, finding that careful fiber-mirror selection enables us to construct FFPCs with degenerate polarization modes. As FFPCs are novel devices, we describe procedures developed for handling, aligning, and cleaning them. We discuss experiments to anneal fiber mirrors and explore the influence of the atmosphere under which annealing occurs on coating losses, finding that annealing under vacuum increases the losses for our reference substrate mirrors. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements indicate that these losses may be attributable to oxygen depletion in the mirror coating. Special design considerations enable us to introduce a FFPC into a trapped ion setup. Our unique linear Paul trap design provides clearance for such a cavity and is miniaturized to shield trapped ions from the dielectric fiber mirrors. We numerically calculate the trap potential in the absence of fibers. In the experiment additional electrodes can be used to compensate distortions of the potential due to the fibers. Home-built fiber feedthroughs connect the FFPC to external optics, and an integrated nanopositioning system affords the possibility of retracting or realigning the cavity without breaking vacuum.
Precise control over internal states of atomic ions in ion traps has been possible for many years enabling high precision spectroscopy of atomic transitions. Trapped ions are suitable candidates for quantum information processing due to their long storage times, low decoherence rates and high readout efficiency. Recent advances in micro-machining fibre optic mirrors and integrated fibre optic-ion trap systems for cavity QED allows one to realise strong coupling between an ion and a cavity mode by reducing the mode volume. For strong ion-cavity coupling, deterministic transfer of quantum states between ions and photons is possible. We have designed and constructed a miniaturised linear Paul trap with an integrated optical cavity, intended for coupling multiple ions to the cavity mode. The RF-electrode separation is 50μm, while the endcap separation is 350μm. The endcap electrodes are narrow tubes of inner diameter 300μm allowing optical fibers through the tubes to form the cavity. The trap depth we calculate to be 650meV for a 10V applied potential at 20MHz. The 4P1⁄2→ 3D3⁄2 transition of the atomic ion 40Ca+ with Γ = 24π × 22MHz can be coupled to an optical fibre Fabry-Perot cavity with length of 380µm, finesse of 33,000 and cavity linewidth k = 2π ×11MHz.The ion-cavity coherent coupling g = 2π × 19:5MHz of this system will put it in single-ion strong coupling regime with cooperativity, C=1.5.
We review the recent developments towards strong coupling of a single ion in cavity QED, in particular by using optical fiber cavities. We also summarize our efforts along the same line being pursued at Sussex University. The main issue in cavity QED with trapped ions has been the incompatibility of dielectric mirrors in trapping potentials. As consequence the mirrors of a cavity have to be further retracted from the ion, rendering the cavity volume rather big to sacrifice the ion-cavity coupling. However, the emerging fiber cavity technology is expected to largely mitigate this difficulty and yet achieve excellent resonator-quality. Achieving strong coupling with single trapped ions enables one to build a highly reliable and controllable quantum interface between matter and light to be used in quantum network. It could also open up new possibilities such as manipulating photonic quantum states via the quantum computing toolbox of ion trap.