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/Photonic quantum control systems for scalable neutral atom quantum computing

Photonic quantum control systems for scalable neutral atom quantum computing

PhD - Leuven | Just now

Benchmark novel integrated photonic devices for atom cooling and qubit gates in a neutral atom quantum processor.
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Photonics plays a central role in neutral atom quantum computing, because all operations on the qubits are mediated by light. Laser beams are required to trap atoms, cool them to ultra-cold temperatures, manipulate their internal states, and perform measurements. As systems scale to larger numbers of qubits, this translates directly into the need for controlling very large numbers of optical beams with high precision. Traditional bulk optical systems do not scale to this regime due to size, complexity, and stability limitations. Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) provide a natural path forward by enabling compact, stable, and highly parallel optical control architectures. However, integrating PICs into a neutral atom quantum processing unit (QPU) and benchmarking it against bulk optics remains an open challenge to validate which chip technology will ultimately enable enhanced and scalable performance.
 


The goal of this PhD is to develop small-scale demonstrator PICs (32 channels) that will be interfaced with an actual neutral atom QPU. We will specifically develop modulators operating between 780 nm and 850 nm, directly targeting the wavelength range required for virtually all Rubidium qubit operations.

The candidate will fabricate these chips in the imec cleanroom and perform preliminary optical measurements in the imec labs. For the benchmarking, we will collaborate with an academic partner and integrate the PICs into their on-site neutral atom QPU, where both qubit cooling and gate sequences will be tested. This PhD will provide crucial insights into new PIC architectures for scalable neutral atom computing, which is a fast-growing field within the quantum computing community.


 

Required background: Engineering Physics, Physics, Electrical Engineering

Type of work: 20% modeling/simulation, 40% fabrication, 40% experiments

Supervisor: Kasper Van Gasse (UGent)

Co-supervisor: Kasper Van Gasse (UGent)

Daily advisor: Frederic Peyskens

The reference code for this position is 2027-005. Mention this reference code in your application.

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