Entanglement growth between remote atomic quantum processors

A quantum device is a system that uses individual atoms or other atom-like particles to store and process information in ways that conventional devices cannot. Future technologies in communication, sensing, and computing could benefit greatly from connecting many-particle quantum devices so they can work together in a coordinated way. While individual quantum devices containing many controllable particles are already being developed, such connections have so far only been achieved for a few distant particles at a time. New methods are needed to link these devices together and harness their full potential. This project aims to develop and demonstrate methods to create strong connections between many-particle quantum devices. By steadily building and maintaining these connections known as entanglementthe project seeks to show how larger networks of devices can be formed from smaller, well-controlled units. Successfully linking devices in this way could enable the preparation of complex shared states across a network, which can enable applications in secure communication, distributed measurements, and high-precision clocks. To achieve this, our prototype quantum devices will trap registers of atoms in place using electric fields and use mirrors and lasers to create and exchange connections via light. These connections will be stored in stable atomic states for several seconds, long enough to build additional links and perform coordinated operations. By carefully managing the particles and their connections, the project will allow the continuous creation of new links while maintaining precise control over the quantum processing, bringing the vision of interconnected quantum devices closer to reality.