SBIR Phase II: Spatially Modulated Light For Trapping And Addressing Of Alkaline-Earth Neutral Atom Qubits

The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will result from the development of a scalable, universal quantum computing platform. The range of applications are broad and will expand in parallel with the development of new quantum algorithms, with initial applications including molecular simulations for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries, currently limited by the approximations necessary to make calculations tractable for classical computers. In order to perform these simulations at a scale useful for commercial applications, quantum computing must be significantly scaled. The proposed system will develop a new method to trap and control individual atoms for scaling of quantum computers. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop technology for parallel, high-fidelity single- and multi-qubit gates in neutral atom quantum computers. The technology will enable neutral atoms as a platform for scalable quantum computing technology with fault-tolerant capabilities. The proposed project includes: 1) development of systems to control atomic qubits in parallel; 2) a methodology to enact high-fidelity gates; and 3) development of necessary infrastructure for a cloud-accessed quantum computer. With a previously unrealized degree of coherent control to atomic systems, the proposed system will serve as an entirely novel tool to study many-body physics, enabling new quantum simulations of new phases of matter or high-energy physics. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.