TrappedIons.org

D. Hume

Quantum control, quantum information processing, and quantum-limited metrology with trapped ions

D. J. Wineland, D. Leibfried, M. D. Barrett, A. Ben-Kish, J. C. Bergquist, R. B. Blakestad, J. J. Bollinger, J. Britton, J. Chiaverini, B. Demarco, D. Hume, W. M. Itano, M. Jensen, J. D. Jost, E. Knill, J. Koelemeij, C. Langer, W. Oskay, R. Ozeri, R. Reichle, T. Rosenband, T. Schaetz, P. O. Schmidt, S. Seidelin [1]

Abstract

We briefly discuss recent experiments on quantum information processing using trapped ions at NIST. A central theme of this work has been to increase our capabilities in terms of quantum computing protocols, but we have also applied the same concepts to improved metrology, particularly in the area of frequency standards and atomic clocks. Such work may eventually shed light on more fundamental issues, such as the quantum measurement problem.

Hyperfine Coherence in the Presence of Spontaneous Photon Scattering

R. Ozeri, C. Langer, J. D. Jost, B. L. DeMarco, A. Ben-Kish, B. R. Blakestad, J. Britton, J. Chiaverini [1], W. M. Itano [1], D. Hume [1], D. Leibfried [1], T. Rosenband [1], P. Schmidt [1], D. J. Wineland [1]

Abstract

The coherence of a hyperfine-state superposition of a trapped $^{9}$Be$^+$ ion in the presence of off-resonant light is experimentally studied. It is shown that Rayleigh elastic scattering of photons that does not change state populations also does not affect coherence. Coherence times exceeding the average scattering time of 19 photons are observed. This result implies that, with sufficient control over its parameters, laser light can be used to manipulate hyperfine-state superpositions with very little decoherence.