Project description
Breakthrough quantum transducers for connecting quantum computers
Quantum microwave-to-optical transducers are critical for networking quantum computers. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Harcotrec project plans to develop an innovative transducer relying on rare-earth crystals that will demonstrate higher efficiency, bandwidth and noise suppression compared to state-of-the-art transducers. In the transducer input, information is encoded in an electric current oscillating at a microwave frequency. This information comes out the same from the output encoded in visible light. Carefully selected crystals will be grown, and their optical, hyperfine and antiferromagnetic resonances will be analysed in cryogenic temperatures. Ultranarrow tuneable lasers and microwave generators coupled with a radiofrequency cavity will provide the optical and microwave fields.
Objective
The rapid progress in the development of quantum computers is accompanied by the demand for devices enable to connect them into a quantum network. These devices are transducers that coherently convert microwave radiation into infrared light and vice versa at the single-photon level. The aim of the project is thus to investigate an innovative transducer scheme based on fully concentrated rare earth crystals with efficiency, bandwidth and suppression of the added noise higher than the current transducers. By exploiting the large non-linear properties of these crystals in the proximity of their sharp electronic and spin transitions, the microwave field will be mixed with an optical laser field to generate a new optical field that will carry the quantum information previously encoded into the microwave field. To achieve this goal, carefully selected crystals will be grown and their optical, hyperfine and antiferromagnetic resonances analyzed at mK cryogenic temperatures. Ultra-narrow tunable lasers and microwave generators coupled with a radiofrequency cavity will provide the optical and microwave fields and the frequency mixing process will be characterized via heterodyne technique. The rare earth crystals performance will be finally assessed towards implementing microwave to optical transduction in the quantum regime.
Fields of science
Not validated
Not validated
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringinformation engineeringtelecommunicationsradio technologyradio frequency
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcomputer hardwarequantum computers
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physics
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
75794 Paris
France