VIBRATIONALLY ISOLATED CRYOGENIC SHIELD FOR LOCAL HIGH-QUALITY VACUUM
20220051122 · 2022-02-17
Inventors
Cpc classification
G06N10/00
PHYSICS
B82Y10/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
F04B2015/081
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
Abstract
The disclosure describes various aspects of a vibrationally isolated cryogenic shield for local high-quality vacuum. More specifically, the disclosure describes a cryogenic vacuum system replicated in a small volume in a mostly room temperature ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system by capping the volume with a suspended cryogenic cold finger coated with a high surface area sorption material to produce a localized extreme high vacuum (XHV) or near-XHV region. The system is designed to ensure that all paths from outgassing materials to the control volume, including multiple bounce paths off other warm surfaces, require at least one bounce off of the high surface area sorption material on the cold finger. The outgassing materials can therefore be pumped before reaching the control volume. To minimize vibrations, the cold finger is only loosely, mechanically connected to the rest of the chamber, and the isolated along with the cryogenic system via soft vacuum bellows.
Claims
1. A method for using a cryogenic device in a vacuum chamber with a viewport, comprising: cooling a cold finger of the cryogenic device that forms a capping volume that encloses a device under test (DUT) placed on a mounting system inside the vacuum chamber, the cold finger having an opening or window; providing a shield positioned inside the vacuum chamber and over and around a portion of the cold finger to reduce thermal loading of the cold finger, the shield having a window in alignment with the opening or window of the cold finger and the viewport of the vacuum chamber; and performing one or more quantum operations using the DUT by applying laser beams generated outside the vacuum chamber directed at the DUT through the viewport of the vacuum chamber, the window of the shield, and the opening or window of the cold finger.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enclosure provided by the shape of the cold finger restrict paths for outgassing materials to reach the capping volume to allow a localized vacuum in the capping volume that is of a higher quality than a quality of vacuum in other regions within the vacuum chamber.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the localized vacuum in the capping volume is an extreme high vacuum (XHV) or near-XHV while the vacuum in the other regions in the vacuum chamber is an ultra-high vacuum (UHV).
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the DUT is a trap.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the trap is an ion trap having electrodes for confining a configurable number of atomic ions in a linear lattice and the laser beams generated outside the vacuum chamber are directed to the atomic ions.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the cold finger is cooled to about 4K.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising cooling the shield to about 40K.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a cryogenic head inside the vacuum chamber, the cryogenic head being connected to the cold finger for cooling the cold finger.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the cryogenic head is also connected to the shield for cooling the shield.
10. The method of claim 8, further comprising reducing vibrations provided to the cold finger and the cryogenic head by a cryogenic cooler outside the vacuum chamber by positioning vacuum bellows between the cryogenic cooler and the vacuum chamber.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing room temperature vacuum pumping of the vacuum chamber using an ion pump.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the DUT to about 70K, wherein the cooling comprises performing a low-vibration cooling operation or method.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more surfaces of the cold finger are covered with a cryogenic sorption material with a large surface area.
14. The method of claim 1, wherein the shield reduces thermal loading of the cold finger by absorption or reflection of infra-red (IR) light coming from outside the vacuum chamber.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The appended drawings illustrate only some implementation and are therefore not to be considered limiting of scope.
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
[0016]
[0017]
[0018]
[0019]
[0020]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various configurations and is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the concepts described herein may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of various concepts. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these concepts may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well known components are shown in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring such concepts. As used herein, the term “about” may refer to a value that is within 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%. 15%, 20%, or 25% of a nominal value. In some instances, the term “about” may involve multiples of 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, or 4 of a nominal value. For example, for cryogenic temperatures of about 4 degrees Kelvin (4K), the actual or practical temperatures may range to as much 10K, which is 2.5 times the nominal value of 4K.
[0022] As described above, trapped atoms may be used to implement quantum information processing. Atomic-based qubits can be used as different type of devices, including but not limited to quantum memories, the quantum bits in quantum computers and simulators, and nodes for quantum communication networks. Qubits based on trapped atomic ions (e.g., atoms with a net state of electrical charge) can have very good coherence properties, can be prepared and measured with nearly 100% efficiency, and can be readily entangled with each other by modulating their Coulomb interaction or through remote photonic interconnects. Lattices of cold (e.g., laser-cooled) trapped atoms have also proven useful for precision metrology, including sensors of small forces and atomic clocks. As used in this disclosure, the terms “atoms,” “atomic ions,” and “ions” may be used interchangeably to describe the particles that are isolated and controlled, or are actually confined individually or as multiples with the latter forming a diffuse cloud or a crystal lattice or similar arrangement or configuration. Where the charge state of the atom (neutral atom or any charge state of the atomic ion) is not relevant, the disclosure describes techniques that can be used for any type of neutral atom or atomic ion or other type of optically active quantum system. This disclosure describes techniques for a vibrationally isolated cold finger and/or cryogenic shield for local high-quality vacuum.
[0023] In the case of atomic ions, the typical ion trap geometry or structure used for quantum information and metrology purposes is the linear radio-frequency (RF) Paul trap (also referred to as an RF trap or simply a Paul trap), where nearby electrodes hold static and dynamic electrical potentials that lead to an effective inhomogeneous harmonic confinement of the ions. The RF Paul trap is a type of trap that uses electric fields to trap or confine one or more charged particles in a particular region, position, or location. When multiple atomic ions are loaded into such a trap are laser-cooled to very low temperatures, the atomic ions form a stationary lattice of qubits (e.g., a structured arrangement of qubits), with Coulomb repulsion balancing the external confinement force. For sufficient trap anisotropy, the ions can form a linear lattice along the weak direction of confinement, and this is the arrangement typically employed for applications in quantum information and metrology. As the trap anisotropy is reduced, the atomic ions undergo a series of phase transitions in their static conformation in space, evolving to a two-dimensional (2D) zig-zag or jagged type structure, then a three-dimensional (3D) helical structure, ultimately toward a spherical lattice when the three directions of confinement approach isotropy.
[0024]
[0025] Atomic ions are typically loaded into traps by creating a neutral atomic flux of the desired particle, and ionizing them once in the trapping volume. Ions can remain confined for months, with lifetimes often limited by the level of vacuum. Elastic collisions with residual background gas occur roughly once per hour per ion at typical ultra-high vacuum (UHV) pressures (˜10.sup.−11 torr) and these collisions might or might not eject on ore more ions from the trap. Cryogenic chambers can virtually eliminate these collision events by further reducing the background pressure by limiting the outgassing of materials and providing pumping of gasses through mechanisms such as freezing of gasses on cold surfaces and cryogenic sorption of gasses into high surface area materials.
[0026] and |↓
130 are represented by the stable hyperfine levels in the ground electronic state, and are separated approximately by frequency ω.sub.0/2π=12.642 GHz. The excited electronic states |e
and |e′
140 in .sup.171Yb.sup.+ are themselves split by a smaller hyperfine coupling and are separated from the ground states by an optical interval having an energy corresponding to an optical wavelength of 369.53 nm.
[0027] In and |e′
140 are illustrated as downward, wavy arrows. On the other hand, the applied laser radiation (which is shown as upward, straight arrows) drive these transitions for initialization to state |↓
as shown in
=no fluorescence) as shown in
[0028] Laser radiation tuned just below resonance in these optical transitions allows for Doppler laser cooling to confine the atomic ions near the bottom of the trapping potential. Other more sophisticated forms of laser cooling can bring the atomic ions to be nearly at rest in the trap.
[0029] Below are described various techniques for creating a controlled volume of XHV or near-XHV in a mostly room temperature UHV system. This controlled volume may be created by capping or surrounding the volume with a suspended cryogenic cold finger that may be partially or fully coated in a high surface area cryogenic sorption material. The cold finger may act as a cryogenic pump and the system is configured to ensure that all paths from outgassing materials to the controlled or critical volume (including paths from warm surfaces) require at least one bounce off of the cold finger such that the outgassing material may be pumped before it can reach the controlled volume. To minimize vibrations from the cryogenic system cooling the cold finger, the cold finger may be only loosely mechanically connected to the rest of the chamber. The cold finger may be isolated along with the cryogenic system via a soft vacuum bellows.
[0030] As used herein, the term UHV may refer to a pressure range between about 10.sup.−7 and about 10.sup.−10 Pa, while the term XHV may refer to a range of pressure below about 10.sup.−10 Pa (7.5×10.sup.−13 Torr or 10.sup.−12 mbar). Here, we refer to near-XHV as UHV vacuum that is approaching the XHV range.
[0031]
[0032] The QIP system 205 can include a source 260 that provides atomic species (e.g., a flux of neutral atoms) to a chamber 250 (see e.g., the vacuum chamber 100 in
[0033] Although not shown, one or more radio-frequency (RF) amplifiers may be used to provide RF potential to the ion trap 270 for operation, as well as one or more DC sources also to be used with the ion trap 270. Moreover, the chamber 250 may include a cold finger 275 and a cryogenic shield 277, where one or both of these may be used to produce a controlled or critical volume over the ion trap 270 to provide a high-quality vacuum (e.g., XHV). An example of a chamber with a cold finger and a cryogenic shield is described in more detail below with respect to
[0034] The QIP system 205 may also include an algorithms component 210 that may operate with other parts of the QIP system 205 (not shown) to perform quantum algorithms or quantum operations. As such, the algorithms component 210 may provide instructions to various components of the QIP system 205 (e.g., to the optical controller 220) to enable the implementation of the quantum algorithms or quantum operations.
[0035]
[0036] The critical volume 330 may be enveloped or capped by a volume, space, or region produced by the configuration or shape of a cold finger 340. The cold finger 340 may be cooled to about 4 degrees Kelvin (4K) and may have one or more surfaces that surround the critical volume 330 and are covered with a high surface area cryogenic sorption material 345, which may also operate at about 4K. The cold finger 340 may include a window or hole 347 through which laser beams may be directed at the DUT 325.
[0037]
[0038]
[0039] Returning to
[0040] Also shown in
[0041] Attached or coupled to the vacuum chamber 310 are a room temperature ion pump 380, a cryogenic cooler 370 that cools the cold finger 340, and the cryogenic shield 350. The cryogenic cooler 370 may be coupled to the vacuum chamber 310 via soft vacuum bellows 375 to reduce transfer of vibrations from the cryogenic cooler to the vacuum chamber.
[0042] Also shown in
[0043] Therefore, by adding a cold finger (e.g., the cold finger 340) to create a controlled vacuum volume with high quality vacuum it may be possible to get some of the benefits of cryogenic systems while also providing mechanical rigidity for the DUT 325 to the vacuum chamber 310.
[0044] In an aspect of this disclosure, the vacuum chamber 310 shown in
[0045] It is to be understood that the various components and/or parts shown in
[0046]
[0047] At 410, the method 400 includes cooling a suspended cold finger of the cryogenic device that forms a capping volume that encloses a DUT, wherein the capping volume formed by the suspended cold finger is configured to have outgassing materials bounce off of the cold finger before reaching a critical volume. In an aspect, the DUT is a trap such as an ion trap. Moreover, the cold finger may be cooled to about 4K. A cryogenic sorption material having a large surface area can be deposited on one or more surfaces of the cold finger.
[0048] At 420, the method 400 includes performing one or more quantum operations using the DUT.
[0049] In an aspect of the method 400, the critical volume over the DUT provides a localized region of XHV or near-XHV over the DUT while other regions in the vacuum chamber provide UHV.
[0050] In another aspect of the method 400, the cryogenic device includes a shield configured to reduce thermal loading of the cold finger. The method may further include cooling the shield to about 40K.
[0051] In another aspect of the method 400, the method may further include performing room temperature vacuum pumping of the vacuum chamber using an ion pump.
[0052] In yet another aspect of the method 400, the method may further include vibrationally isolating the cold finger from the vacuum chamber by soft vacuum bellows.
[0053] Referring now to
[0054] In one example, the computer device 500 may include a processor 510 for carrying out processing functions associated with one or more of the features described herein. The processor 510 may include a single or multiple set of processors or multi-core processors. Moreover, the processor 510 may be implemented as an integrated processing system and/or a distributed processing system. The processor 510 may include a central processing unit (CPU), a quantum processing unit (QPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), or combination of those types of processors. In one aspect, the processor 510 may refer to a general processor of the computer device 510, which may also include additional processors 510 to perform more specific functions such as control of the operations (e.g., cooling, pumping) of a vacuum chamber, for example.
[0055] In an example, the computer device 500 may include a memory 520 for storing instructions executable by the processor 510 for carrying out the functions described herein. In an implementation, for example, the memory 520 may correspond to a computer-readable storage medium that stores code or instructions to perform one or more of the functions or operations described herein. In one example, the memory 520 may include instructions to perform aspects of a method 400 described below in connection with
[0056] Further, the computer device 500 may include a communications component 530 that provides for establishing and maintaining communications with one or more parties utilizing hardware, software, and services as described herein. The communications component 530 may carry communications between components on the computer device 500, as well as between the computer device 500 and external devices, such as devices located across a communications network and/or devices serially or locally connected to computer device 500. For example, the communications component 500 may include one or more buses, and may further include transmit chain components and receive chain components associated with a transmitter and receiver, respectively, operable for interfacing with external devices.
[0057] Additionally, the computer device 500 may include a data store 540, which can be any suitable combination of hardware and/or software, that provides for mass storage of information, databases, and programs employed in connection with implementations described herein. For example, the data store 540 may be a data repository for operating system 560 (e.g., classical OS, or quantum OS). In one implementation, the data store 540 may include the memory 520.
[0058] The computer device 500 may also include a user interface component 550 operable to receive inputs from a user of the computer device 500 and further operable to generate outputs for presentation to the user or to provide to a different system (directly or indirectly). The user interface component 550 may include one or more input devices, including but not limited to a keyboard, a number pad, a mouse, a touch-sensitive display, a digitizer, a navigation key, a function key, a microphone, a voice recognition component, any other mechanism capable of receiving an input from a user, or any combination thereof. Further, the user interface component 550 may include one or more output devices, including but not limited to a display, a speaker, a haptic feedback mechanism, a printer, any other mechanism capable of presenting an output to a user, or any combination thereof.
[0059] In an implementation, the user interface component 550 may transmit and/or receive messages corresponding to the operation of the operating system 560. In addition, the processor 510 may execute the operating system 560 and/or applications or programs, and the memory 520 or the data store 540 may store them.
[0060] When the computer device 500 is implemented as part of a cloud-based infrastructure solution, the user interface component 550 may be used to allow a user of the cloud-based infrastructure solution to remotely interact with the computer device 500.
[0061] Although the present disclosure has been provided in accordance with the implementations shown, one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments and those variations would be within the scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the appended claims.