Richerme Lab

We present an approach based on tensor networks for distributed quantum computing simulation of chemical wavepacket dynamics in a continuous variable representation. The central idea is that the tensor-network representation of the multidimensional time-evolution operator naturally induces an elevated Hilbert space where the dynamics decomposes into a set of independent lower-dimensional propagations. This transformation converts an entangled quantum evolution into a set of parallel computational tasks that can be executed asynchronously across heterogeneous quantum and classical computing architectures. The resulting formalism establishes a direct connection between tensor-network decompositions, uniformly controlled quantum circuits, and asynchronous distributed quantum computing. The approach is developed with a goal towards hybrid quantum/classical implementation, and is appropriate for a general heterogeneous mixture of quantum hardware systems. The experimental realization of the asynchronously distributed quantum processes that arise from the tensor-network decomposition are carried out on the Sandia National Laboratories' trapped-ion quantum computer, where the circuits are compiled using native partial-entangling $XX(θ)$ gates, reducing the expected two-qubit gate infidelity by more than 30\% relative to conventional fully entangling decompositions. We demonstrate the methodology by quantum computing the vibrational spectra of a small protonated water cluster that shows critical quantum nuclear behavior. Such water cluster systems have been found to be challenging for experimental action spectroscopy and for theory, and here, for the first time, we provide results for vibrational spectroscopy that are in agreement with the respective classical results to within 4cm$^{-1}$, thus allowing for the potential for spectroscopic accuracy from quantum computations.

Trapped-ion lattice geometries, which determine the interactions between trapped-ion qubits, are typically governed by the balance of Coulomb repulsion forces with the external trapping potential. Here we demonstrate how the effective ion lattice geometry and resulting qubit-qubit interactions may be reconfigured in-situ, by shelving specific ions in metastable states outside the qubit subspace. Using a triangular lattice of three $^{171}$Yb$^{+}$ ions, we optically pump selected ions into the long-lived $^2F_{7/2}$ state. We then apply a global Ising-like Hamiltonian to the system and verify that the shelved qubits are fully removed from participation in the quantum dynamics. We characterize the metastable state lifetime in the presence of laser-driven ion-ion interactions, finding a deshelving rate that is orders of magnitude slower than the spin-spin interaction rate and scales quadratically with applied laser intensity.

Laser-driven operations are a common approach for engineering one- and two-qubit gates in trapped-ion arrays. Measuring key parameters of these lasers, such as beam sizes, intensities, and polarizations, is central to predicting and optimizing gate speeds and stability. Unfortunately, it is challenging to accurately measure these properties at the ion location within an ultra-high vacuum chamber. Here, we demonstrate how the ions themselves may be used as sensors to directly characterize the laser beams needed for quantum gate operations. Making use of the four-photon Stark Shift effect in $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ions, we measure the profiles, alignments, and polarizations of the lasers driving counter-propagating Raman transitions. We then show that optimizing the parameters of each laser individually leads to higher-speed Raman-driven gates with smaller susceptibility to errors. Our approach demonstrates the capability of trapped ions to probe their local environments and to provide useful feedback for improving system performance.

We study the use of global drives with multiple frequency components to improve the efficiency of trapped ion quantum simulations and computations. We show that such `multi-mode' global drives, when combined with a linear number of single-qubit rotations, generate universal Ising-type interactions with shorter overall runtimes than corresponding two-qubit gate implementations. Further, we show how this framework may be extended to efficiently generate $n-$body interactions between any subset $n$ of the ion qubits. Finally, we apply these techniques to encode the Quantum Fourier Transform using quadratically-fewer entangling operations, with quadratically smaller runtime, compared with traditional approaches.

The accurate computational study of wavepacket nuclear dynamics is considered to be a classically intractable problem, particularly with increasing dimensions. Here we present two algorithms that, in conjunction with other methods developed by us, will form the basis for performing quantum nuclear dynamics in arbitrary dimensions. For one algorithm, we present a direct map between the Born-Oppenheimer Hamiltonian describing the wavepacket time-evolution and the control parameters of a spin-lattice Hamiltonian that describes the dynamics of qubit states in an ion-trap quantum computer. This map is exact for three qubits, and when implemented, the dynamics of the spin states emulate those of the nuclear wavepacket. However, this map becomes approximate as the number of qubits grow. In a second algorithm we present a general quantum circuit decomposition formalism for such problems using a method called the Quantum Shannon Decomposition. This algorithm is more robust and is exact for any number of qubits, at the cost of increased circuit complexity. The resultant circuit is implemented on IBM's quantum simulator (QASM) for 3-7 qubits. In both cases the wavepacket dynamics is found to be in good agreement with the classical result and the corresponding vibrational frequencies obtained from the wavepacket density time-evolution, are in agreement to within a few tenths of a wavenumbers.

Quantum nuclear dynamics with wavepacket time-evolution is classically intractable and viewed as a promising avenue for quantum information processing. Here, we use an IonQ 11-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer, Harmony, to study the quantum wavepacket dynamics of a shared-proton within a short-strong hydrogen-bonded system. We also provide the first application of distributed quantum computing for chemical dynamics problems, where the distributed set of quantum processes is constructed using a tensor network formalism. For a range of initial states, we experimentally drive the ion-trap system to emulate the quantum nuclear wavepacket as it evolves along the potential surface generated from electronic structure. Following the experimental creation of the nuclear wavepacket, we extract measurement observables such as its time-dependent spatial projection and its characteristic vibrational frequencies to good agreement with classical results. Vibrational eigenenergies obtained from quantum computational are in agreement with those obtained from classical simulations to within a fraction of a kcal/mol, thus suggesting chemical accuracy. Our approach opens a new paradigm for studying the quantum chemical dynamics and vibrational spectra of molecules and also provides the first demonstration for parallel quantum computation on a distributed set of ion-trap quantum computers.

We experimentally study the heating of trapped atomic ions during measurement of their internal qubit states. During measurement, ions are projected into one of two basis states and discriminated by their state-dependent fluorescence. We observe that ions in the fluorescing state rapidly scatter photons and heat at a rate of \mbox{$\dot{\bar{n}}\gtrsim 2\times 10^4$ quanta/s}, which is orders of magnitude faster than typical anomalous ion heating rates. We introduce a quantum trajectory-based framework that accurately reproduces the experimental results and provides a unified description of ion heating for both continuous and discrete sources.

Trapped-Ion (TI) technology offers potential breakthroughs for Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum (NISQ) computing. TI qubits offer extended coherence times and high gate fidelity, making them appealing for large-scale NISQ computers. Constructing such computers demands a distributed architecture connecting Quantum Charge Coupled Devices (QCCDs) via quantum matter-links and photonic switches. However, current distributed TI NISQ computers face hardware and system challenges. Entangling qubits across a photonic switch introduces significant latency, while existing compilers generate suboptimal mappings due to their unawareness of the interconnection topology. In this paper, we introduce TITAN, a large-scale distributed TI NISQ computer, which employs an innovative photonic interconnection design to reduce entanglement latency and an advanced partitioning and mapping algorithm to optimize matter-link communications. Our evaluations show that TITAN greatly enhances quantum application performance by 56.6% and fidelity by 19.7% compared to existing systems.

Trapped-ion quantum simulators have demonstrated a long history of studying the physics of interacting spin-lattice systems using globally addressed entangling operations. Here, we seek to broaden and delimit the classes of effective spin-spin interactions achievable using exclusively global driving fields. We find that new categories of interaction graphs become achievable with perfect or near-perfect theoretical fidelity by tailoring the coupling to each vibrational mode of the ion crystal, or by shaping the trapping potential to include specific anharmonic terms. We also derive a rigorous test to determine whether a desired interaction graph is accessible using only globally driven fields. These tools broaden the reach of trapped-ion quantum simulators so that they may more easily address open questions in materials science and quantum chemistry.

Calculating the observable properties of chemical systems is often classically intractable and is widely viewed as a promising application of quantum information processing. Yet one of the most common and important chemical systems in nature - the hydrogen bond - has remained a challenge to study using quantum hardware on account of its anharmonic potential energy landscape. Here, we introduce a framework for solving hydrogen-bond systems and more generic chemical dynamics problems using quantum logic. We experimentally demonstrate a proof-of-principle instance of our method using the QSCOUT ion-trap quantum computer, in which we experimentally drive the ion-trap system to emulate the quantum wavepacket of the shared-proton within a hydrogen bond. Following the experimental creation of the shared-proton wavepacket, we then extract measurement observables such as its time-dependent spatial projection and its characteristic vibrational frequencies to spectroscopic accuracy (3.3 cm$^{-1}$ wavenumbers, corresponding to > 99.9% fidelity). Our approach introduces a new paradigm for studying the quantum chemical dynamics and vibrational spectra of molecules, and when combined with existing algorithms for electronic structure, opens the possibility to describe the complete behavior of complex molecular systems with unprecedented accuracy.

Resolved sideband cooling is a standard technique for cooling trapped ions below the Doppler limit to near their motional ground state. Yet, the most common methods for sideband cooling implicitly rely on low Doppler-cooled temperatures and tightly confined ions, and they cannot be optimized for different experimental conditions. Here we introduce a framework which calculates the fastest possible pulsed sideband cooling sequence for a given number of pulses and set of experimental parameters, and we verify its improvement compared to traditional methods using a trapped $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ion. After extensive cooling, we find that the ion motional distribution is distinctly non-thermal and thus not amenable to standard thermometry techniques. We therefore develop and experimentally validate an improved method to measure ion temperatures after sideband cooling. These techniques will enable more efficient cooling and thermometry within trapped-ion systems, especially those with high initial temperatures or spatially-extended ion wavepackets.

Current precision experiments with single (anti)protons to test CPT symmetry progress at a rapid pace, but are complicated by the need to cool particles to sub-thermal energies. We describe a cryogenic Penning-trap setup for $^9$Be$^+$ ions designed to allow coupling of single (anti)protons to laser-cooled atomic ions for sympathetic cooling and quantum logic spectroscopy. We report on trapping and laser cooling of clouds and single $^9$Be$^+$ ions. We discuss prospects for a microfabricated trap to allow coupling of single (anti)protons to laser-cooled $^9$Be$^+$ ions for sympathetic laser cooling to sub-mK temperatures on ms time scales.

We present the design and experimental demonstration of an open-endcap radio frequency trap to confine ion crystals in the radial-two dimensional (2D) structural phase. The central axis of the trap is kept free of obstructions to allow for site-resolved imaging of ions in the 2D crystal plane, and the confining potentials are provided by four segmented blade electrodes. We discuss the design challenges, fabrication techniques, and voltage requirements for implementing this open-endcap trap. Finally, we validate its operation by confining up to 29 ions in a 2D triangular lattice, oriented such that both in-plane principal axes of the 2D crystal lie in the radial direction.

Cosmological observations as well as theoretical approaches to physics beyond the Standard Model provide strong motivations for experimental tests of fundamental symmetries, such as CPT invariance. In this context, the availability of cold baryonic antimatter at CERN has opened an avenue for ultrahigh-precision comparisons of protons and antiprotons in Penning traps. This work discusses an experimental method inspired by quantum logic techniques that will improve particle localization and readout speed in such experiments. The method allows for sympathetic cooling of the (anti-)proton to its quantum-mechanical ground state as well as the readout of its spin alignment, replacing the commonly used continuous Stern-Gerlach effect. Both of these features are achieved through coupling to a laser-cooled `logic' ion co-trapped in a double-well potential. This technique will boost the measurement sampling rate and will thus provide results with lower statistical uncertainty, contributing to stringent searches for time dependent variations in the data. Such measurements ultimately yield extremely high sensitivities to CPT violating coefficients acting on baryons in the Standard-Model Extension, will allow the exploration of previously unmeasured types of symmetry violations, and will enable antimatter-based axion-like dark matter searches with improved mass resolution.

We experimentally study the real-time susceptibility of trapped-ion quantum systems to small doses of ionizing radiation. We expose an ion-trap apparatus to a variety of $α$, $β$, and $γ$ sources and measure the resulting changes in trapped-ion qubit lifetimes, coherence times, gate fidelities, and motional heating rates. We found no quantifiable degradation of ion trap performance in the presence of low-dose radiation sources for any of the measurements performed. This finding is encouraging for the long-term prospects of using ion-based quantum information systems in extreme environments, indicating that much larger doses may be required to induce errors in trapped-ion quantum processors.

We experimentally study two-dimensional (2D) Coulomb crystals in the "radial-2D" phase of a linear Paul trap. This phase is identified by a 2D ion lattice aligned entirely with the radial plane and is created by imposing a large ratio of axial to radial trapping potentials. Using arrays of up to 19 $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ions, we demonstrate that the structural phase boundaries and vibrational mode frequencies of such crystals are well-described by the pseudopotential approximation, despite the time-dependent ion positions driven by intrinsic micromotion. We further observe that micromotion-induced heating of the radial-2D crystal is confined to the radial plane. Finally, we verify that the transverse motional modes, which are used in most ion-trap quantum simulation schemes, remain decoupled and cold in this geometry. Our results establish radial-2D ion crystals as a robust experimental platform for realizing a variety of theoretical proposals in quantum simulation and computation.

We introduce the concept of a Floquet gauge pump whereby a dynamically engineered Floquet Hamiltonian is employed to reveal the inherent degeneracy of the ground state in interacting systems. We demonstrate this concept in a one-dimensional XY model with periodically driven couplings and transverse field. In the high-frequency limit, we obtain the Floquet Hamiltonian consisting of the static XY and dynamically generated Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction (DMI) terms. The dynamically generated magnetization current depends on the phases of complex coupling terms, with the XY interaction as the real and DMI as the imaginary part. As these phases are cycled, the current reveals the ground-state degeneracies that distinguish the ordered and disordered phases. We discuss experimental requirements needed to realize the Floquet gauge pump in a synthetic quantum spin system of interacting trapped ions.

Clock-comparison experiments are among the sharpest existing tests of Lorentz symmetry in matter. We characterize signals in these experiments arising from modifications to electron or nucleon propagators and involving Lorentz- and CPT-violating operators of arbitrary mass dimension. The spectral frequencies of the atoms or ions used as clocks exhibit perturbative shifts that can depend on the constituent-particle properties and can display sidereal and annual variations in time. Adopting an independent-particle model for the electronic structure and the Schmidt model for the nucleus, we determine observables for a variety of clock-comparison experiments involving fountain clocks, comagnetometers, ion traps, lattice clocks, entangled states, and antimatter. The treatment demonstrates the complementarity of sensitivities to Lorentz and CPT violation among these different experimental techniques. It also permits the interpretation of some prior results in terms of bounds on nonminimal coefficients for Lorentz violation, including first constraints on nonminimal coefficients in the neutron sector. Estimates of attainable sensitivities in future analyses are provided. Two technical appendices collect relationships between spherical and cartesian coefficients for Lorentz violation and provide explicit transformations converting cartesian coefficients in a laboratory frame to the canonical Sun-centered frame.

The computational difficulty of solving fully quantum many-body spin problems is a significant obstacle to understanding the behavior of strongly correlated quantum matter. Experimental ion-trap quantum simulation is a promising approach for studying these lattice spin models, but has so far been limited to one-dimensional systems. This work argues that such quantum simulation techniques are extendable to a 2D ion crystal confined in a radiofrequency (rf) trap. Using appropriately chosen parameters, driven ion motion due to the rf fields can be made small and will not limit the types of quantum spin models that can be experimentally encoded. The rf-driven motion is calculated to modestly reduce the stability region of a 2D crystal and must be considered when designing the 2D trap. The system will be scalable to 100+ quantum particles, far beyond the realm of classical intractability, while maintaining the traditional ion-trap strengths of individual-ion control, long quantum coherence times, and site-resolved projective spin measurements.

This dissertation reports on the development of a low-power, high-stability miniature atomic frequency standard based on 171Yb+ ions. The ions are buffer-gas cooled and held in a linear quadrupole trap that is integrated into a sealed, getter-pumped vacuum package, and interrogated on the 12.6 GHz hyperfine transition. We hope to achieve a long-term fractional frequency stability of 10^-14 with a miniature clock that consumes only 50 mW of power and occupies a volume of 5 cm^3. I discuss our progress over several years of work on this project. We began by building a conventional tabletop clock to use as a test bed while developing several designs of miniature ion-trap vacuum packages, while also developing techniques for various aspects of the clock operation, including ion loading, laser and magnetic field stabilization, and a low power ion trap drive. The ion traps were modeled using boundary element software to assist with the design and parameter optimization of new trap geometries. We expect a novel trap geometry that uses a material new to ion traps to lead to an exceptionally small ion trap vacuum package in the next phase of the project. To achieve the long-term stability required, we have also considered the sensitivity of the clock frequency to magnetic fields. A study of the motion of the individual ions in a room-temperature cloud in the trap was performed with the purpose of understanding the effect of both spatially varying and constant magnetic fields on the clock resonance and therefore the operation of the clock. These effects were studied experimentally and theoretically for several traps. In summary, this dissertation is a contribution to the design, development, and testing of a 171Yb+ ion cloud frequency standard and related techniques, including analyses of trap geometries and parameters, modeling of the ion motion, and the practical operation of the clock.