Research
Projects

Quantum Optics and Spectroscopy
Institut für Experimentalphysik,
University of Innsbruck, and
IQOQI
Austrian Academy of Sciences,
Innsbruck, Austria

Barium: Single-atom-single-photon interaction

In this experiment we investigate the interaction of single Barium ions with single photons. Interesting quantum effects were already observed when an atom interacts with its mirror image. We now also have the ability to get ions in remote traps to exchange their single photons fields.

CQED: Entanglement in a CQED system

Trapped ions coupled to a high-finesse optical cavity constitute a quantum interface between stationary qubits and photons. In the laboratory, we make use of this ion-cavity coupling to investigate fundamental aspects of entanglement and its application to quantum information. [more >>]

Cryotrap: Trapped ions on a cryogenic enviroment

One way of scaling ion-trap quantum computing to many ions requires making arrays of (very small) traps. Issues caused by putting cold ions only a few microns away from hot electrodes can be mitigated by cooling the entire apparatus to 4K. Two-dimensional arrays of cold traps could then lend themselves very well to certain tasks, such as quantum simulations.

LinTrap: Quantum computation with trapped ions

A string of ions stored in a linear Paul trap is ideally suited to store and manipulate quantum information. In our experiments we aim at demonstrating quantum algorithms and states of increasing complexity, developing new kinds of ion traps and investigate new and better ways to store and process quantum information with ion qubits. [more >>]

NOIs: Nano-fibre optical interfaces

An important challenge in quantum information processing is to interconvert between stationary qubits (such as ions) and flying qubits (such as photons). In optical nanofibres with diameters smaller than the optical wavelength, the evanescent component of the fibre's light field extends a significant distance into the surroundings. This field has been shown to interact with nanoparticles such as neutral atoms, and charged gold particles. The NOIs project seeks to bring the advantages of trapped ion QIP to bear on recent nanofibre progress.

QSim: Quantum information and quantum simulations with trapped ions

Laser-cooled trapped ions are a small quantum system that can be controlled and measured with high accuracy which makes them a very interesting system for quantum information processing and quantum simulations. In our experiments, quantum entanglement plays a key role. We create entanglement by laser-ion interactions and use it for investigating fundamental properties of quantum physics and carrying out quantum simulations. [more >>]

Surface: New surface trap technology

This project is dedicated to the development of microstructured ion traps. These devices will consist of an array of ion microtraps assembled on a carrier chip. Such ion traps will improve the scalability of ion trap quantum computers.