Programme: EU, 7th Framework Programme FP7
Theme: Ideas - ERC Starting Independent Researcher Grant
Project Participants: Quantum Device Lab, ETH Zürich
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 240328.
In this project we investigate the strong coherent interaction of light and matter on the level of individual photons and individual atoms or atom-like systems. In particular, we explore large dipole moment superconducting artificial atoms and natural Rydberg atoms interacting with radiation fields contained in quasi-one-dimensional on-chip microwave frequency resonators. In these resonators individual photons generate field strengths that exceed those in conventional mirror based resonators by orders of magnitude and they can also be stored for long times. This allows us to reach the strong coupling limit of cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) using superconducting electronic circuits, an approach known as circuit QED. In this project we explore novel approaches to perform quantum optics experiments in circuits. We develop techniques to generate and detect non-classical radiation fields using nonlinear resonators and chip-based interferometers. We also further advance the circuit QED approach to quantum information processing. The main objective of this project is to develop an interface between circuit and atom based realizations of cavity QED. In particular, we will couple Rydberg atoms to on-chip resonators. To achieve this goal we will first investigate the interaction of ensembles of atoms in a beam with the coherent fields in a continuous transmission line or a resonator. We will perform spectroscopic measurements of Rydberg atoms using field ionization detection and we will investigate detection schemes using the dispersive interaction with the resonator field. We will also explore the interaction of Rydberg atoms with chip surfaces in dependence on materials, temperature and geometry. Experiments will be performed from 300K down to millikelvin temperatures. We will realize and characterize on-chip traps for Rydberg atoms. Using trapped atoms we will explore their coherent dynamics in the vicinity of surfaces. Finally, we aim at investigating the single atom and single photon limit of these interactions. When realized this system will be used to explore the first quantum coherent interface between atomic and solid state qubits. This achievement will have impact on the development of quantum information processors and will contribute to the basic understanding of atom/solid interactions.
Christian completed his Master's thesis here in summer 2010 and continued as a research assistant. In summer 2011 he moved on to the National University of Singapur to work on his PhD thesis.
Joonas completed his Master's degree at the Quantum Device Lab in January 2011. As a B.A. student at Princeton, Joonas previously worked with superconducting flux qubits whenever he was not rock climbing. After leaving QuDev he moved on to the group of Mikko Möttönen, Aalto University School of Science, Helsinki to conduct a PhD thesis.
Dominik joined our group during the spring term 2014 for a semester thesis project within the ETH Zurich Master's program (MSc ETH Physics). He rejoined our group in October 2014 to conduct a Master's thesis (MSc ETH Physics) and was subsequently working with us as a Research assistant until the end of July 2015. After leaving QuDev he will start to work at Unity Schweiz AG.
Matteo finished his Master´s degree in Physics at ETH Zurich in April 2013 and continued to work with us as a research assistant until October 2013.
Deniz did a semester thesis project in our lab during fall 2007 and spring 2008 and came back in summer 2009 to complete his Master's thesis. After leaving the Quantum Device Lab in 2010 he moved on to the Nano Electronics and Nano Photonics research group at the Integrated Systems Laboratory of ETH Zurich to carry out a PhD thesis.
Raphael comlpeted a semester thesis project and a Master's thesis (MSc ETH Physics) at the Quantum Device Lab. After his grauduation in February 2012 he moved on to study towards a teaching diploma.
Tobias joined the Quantum Device Lab in July 2015 after completing an apprenticeship as a physics laboratory assistant with Kistler Instrumente AG, Winterthur. After leaving QuDev Tobias started to study physics at ETH Zurich.
joined QuDev in October 2010 as a PhD student to examine the manipulation of Rydberg atoms with on-chip microwave cavities. After defending his PhD thesis in December 2015 he continued to work with us as a PostDoc until August 2016. After leaving our group Tobias moved on the University of Colorado Boulder to work as a PostDoc with Prof. Cindy Regal.
was a PostDoc in our group from September 2011 to October 2012. He then moved on to Munich to study towards becoming a registered patent attorney. Klaus received his PhD degree in physics from the University of Oxford (UK), where he carried out his research in Prof. Ian Walmsley's group. His PhD work was on optical quantum memories and light-matter interactions.
Stefan Filipp was a PostDoc at the Quantum Device Lab from January 2008 to May 2014. After leaving our group he joined IBM T. J. Watson Research Center as a Research Staff Member in Experimental Quantum Computing. Since May 2020 he holds a position as Full Professor (Chair) in Physics at TU Munich and as Director of WMI of the BAdW.
