Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Neutral atom arrays have seen tremendous progress in quantum simulation, quantum metrology, and fault-tolerant quantum computing. However, hardware constraints such as atom loss and heating remain significant challenges. In this work, we introduce a comprehensive ancilla-based toolbox for optical tweezer experiments that utilizes high-fidelity Rydberg entangling gates and ancilla atoms to mitigate these physical limitations. First, we demonstrate repeated ancilla-based atom readout, achieving improved detection fidelity over multiple rounds with minimal perturbation to data atoms. Second, leveraging the quantized motional states in tweezer-trapped strontium atoms, we transduce quantum information from the electronic to the motional manifold. This enables us to perform mid-circuit ancilla-based atom loss detection in a coherence-preserving fashion. Finally, we demonstrate algorithmic cooling, a circuit-based sequence that deterministically cools data atoms by transferring their motional entropy to the electronic states of ancilla atoms. We observe a marked reduction in the atomic temperature of data atoms. These tools offer a pathway to continuous operation in tweezer clocks and complement recent developments in continuous reloading experiments.
Source: Physical Review Letters
DOI: 10.1103/8ncv-2mcx
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, California Institute of Technology, Weston Havens Foundation, Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative, Institute for Quantum Information and Matter, California Institute of Technology, Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Army Research Office
Awards: VERIFICATION OF QUANTUM DEVICES FROM EMERGENT RANDOMNESS, G1523888516, G1797871914, QLCI-CI: NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institute for Present and Future Quantum Computing, Center: Institute for Quantum Information and Matter: IQIM, G4639932191, G4973074039, G5884252700, G6020731938, G6751265558
OpenAlex ID: W7140163954