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Wednesday, May 13, 2026
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
East Bridge 114

IQIM Postdoctoral and Graduate Student Seminar

Distributed quantum science with neutral atom arrays
Jacob Covey, University of Chicago,

Special IQIM Seminar, Wednesday, May 13 beginning at 12 noon.

Abstract: The realization of fast and high-fidelity entanglement between separated arrays of neutral atoms would enable a host of new opportunities in quantum communication, distributed quantum sensing, and modular quantum computation. In this talk, I will describe two approaches we are pursuing to generate fast and high-fidelity remote entanglement. In the first approach, we have demonstrated a photonic interconnect based on high-fidelity entanglement of the metastable nuclear spin-1/2 qubit in ytterbium-171 and a telecom-band photon with time-bin encoding. We have realized an atom-photon Bell state fidelity of 0.95 when correcting for atomic measurement errors. As an extension of this work, I will describe a second system based on ytterbium-171 atom arrays in a near-concentric optical cavity. We anticipate the ability to generate atom-atom Bell pairs with fidelity approaching 0.99 and rate of 10^4 ebits/sec using this telecom photonic interface. In the second approach, I will introduce a novel technique for transporting large tweezer arrays over 200 mm within a single vacuum chamber via a microscope objective mounted on an air-bearing linear motion stage. I will describe our vision for modular quantum computation based on an array of atom arrays.

Following the talk, lunch will be provided on the lawn outside East Bridge.

For more information, please contact Marcia Brown by phone at 626-395-4013 or by email at [email protected].