Multi-channel laser system including an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) with beam polarization switching and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11042052-B2
Application number	US-201816133907-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 18, 2018
Priority date	Sep 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A system may include a laser source, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) coupled to the laser source, an atom trap, and at least one optical medium coupled between the AOM and the atom trap. Furthermore, at least one piezoelectric transducer may be coupled to the at least one optical medium, and a beam polarization controller may be coupled to the at least one piezoelectric transducer.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a laser source;
an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) coupled to the laser source;
an atom trap;
at least one optical medium coupled between the AOM and the atom trap;
at least one piezoelectric transducer coupled to the at least one optical medium;
a backing block in contact with the at least one optical medium on a side thereof opposite the at least one piezoelectric transducer, the backing block comprising at least one of SiC and AlN;
and a beam polarization controller coupled to selectively actuate the at least one piezoelectric transducer to induce cross polarization strain within the at least one optical medium to rotate beam polarization within the at least one optical medium.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the AOM comprises:
a first beamsplitter to split a first laser light beam from the laser source into a plurality of second laser light beams for the atom trap;
a common acousto-optic medium configured to receive the plurality of second laser light beams; and
a respective plurality of electrodes coupled to the common acousto-optic medium for each of the second laser light beams.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising a plurality of radio frequency (RF) drivers each configured to generate respective RF drive signals for each of the plurality of electrodes.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the at least one optical medium comprises a single optical medium for the plurality of second laser light beams.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the second laser light beams are directed to a first side of the atom trap, and further comprising an intermediate beam splitter between the laser source and the multi-channel AOM configured to split a third laser light beam from the first laser light beam directed to a second side of the atom trap.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one piezoelectric transducer comprises a pair of piezoelectric transducers on opposing sides of the at least one optical medium.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the system defines a quantum computer.

8. A method comprising:
modulating at least one laser light beam using an acousto-optic modulator (AOM), the AOM being coupled to an atom trap via at least one optical medium having at least one piezoelectric transducer coupled thereto and a backing block in contact with the at least one optical medium on a side thereof opposite the at least one piezoelectric transducer, the backing block comprising at least one of SiC and AlN;
and controlling a beam polarization of the at least one laser light beam by selectively actuating the at least one piezoelectric transducer to induce cross polarization strain within the at least one optical medium to rotate beam polarization within the at least one optical medium.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the AOM further comprises:
a first beamsplitter to split a first laser light beam from the laser source into a plurality of second laser light beams for the atom trap;
a common acousto-optic medium configured to receive the plurality of second laser light beams; and
a respective plurality of electrodes coupled to the common acousto-optic medium for each of the second laser light beams.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein modulating further comprises selectively actuating a plurality of radio frequency (RF) drivers each configured to generate respective RF drive signals for each of the plurality of electrodes.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one optical medium comprises a plurality of optical mediums with a respective optical medium for each of the second laser light beams and each optical medium having at least one piezoelectric transducer coupled thereto.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one optical medium comprises a single optical medium for the plurality of second laser light beams.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the second laser light beams are directed to a first side of the atom trap, and further comprising splitting a third laser light beam from the first laser light beam directed to a second side of the atom trap using an intermediate beam splitter between the laser source and the multi-channel AOM.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the at least one piezoelectric transducer comprises a pair of piezoelectric transducers on opposing sides of the at least one optical medium.

15. A system comprising:
a laser source;
an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) coupled to the laser source;
an atom trap;
at least one optical medium coupled between the AOM and the atom trap;
at least one piezoelectric transducer coupled to the at least one optical medium;
a beam polarization controller coupled to the at least one piezoelectric transducer; and
a backing block in contact with the at least one optical medium on a side thereof opposite the at least one piezoelectric transducer, the backing block comprises at least one of SiC and AlN.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the system defines a quantum computer.

Assignees

• Eagle Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lange Michael Ray
• Morse Randall K
• Logan Catheryn D
• Niemeier Curtis R
• Heimmermann Dean A
• Wasilousky Peter A
• Corey Christopher A
• Burberry Lee Martin

Classifications

• G02F1/113 Primary

  Circuit or control arrangements · CPC title

• G06E1/02

  operating upon the order or content of the data handled · CPC title

• G02F1/11 Primary

  based on acousto-optical elements, e.g. using variable diffraction by sound or like mechanical waves (acousto-optical deflection G02F1/33) · CPC title

• G02F1/0136

  for the control of polarisation, e.g. state of polarisation [SOP] control, polarisation scrambling, TE-TM mode conversion or separation (G02F1/0353 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H05H3/00

  Production or acceleration of neutral particle beams, e.g. molecular or atomic beams · CPC title