Multi-channel laser system including optical assembly with etched optical signal channels and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11327348-B2
Application number	US-201916458457-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 1, 2019
Priority date	Sep 18, 2018
Publication date	May 10, 2022
Grant date	May 10, 2022

Abstract

A system may include a laser source, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) coupled to the laser source, an atom trap, and an optical body coupled between the AOM and the atom trap and having a plurality of spaced apart optical signal channels etched therein. At least one piezoelectric transducer may be coupled to each of the optical signal channels, and a beam polarization controller may be coupled to the piezoelectric transducers.

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;
an optical body coupled between the AOM and the atom trap and having a plurality of spaced apart optical signal channels defining tunnels therein;
at least one piezoelectric transducer coupled to each of the optical signal channels; and
a beam polarization controller coupled to the at least one piezoelectric transducers.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical signal channels are buried within the optical body.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the optical body comprises at least one of fused silica and quartz.

4. 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.

5. The system of claim 4 further comprising a plurality of radio frequency (RF) drivers each configured to generate respective RF drive signals for each of the plurality of electrodes.

6. The system of claim 4 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.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a backing block in contact with the optical body on a side thereof opposite the at least one piezoelectric transducer.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the backing block comprises at least one of SiC and AlN.

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

10. An optical assembly for use with an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and comprising:
an optical body coupled to an output of the AOM and having a plurality of spaced apart optical signal channels defining tunnels therein; and
at least one piezoelectric transducer coupled to each of the optical signal channels.

11. The optical assembly of claim 10 wherein the optical signal channels are buried within the optical body.

12. The optical assembly of claim 10 wherein the optical body comprises at least one of fused silica and quartz.

13. The optical assembly of claim 10 further comprising a backing block in contact with the optical body on a side thereof opposite the at least one piezoelectric transducer.

14. The optical assembly of claim 13 wherein the backing block comprises at least one of SiC and AlN.

15. A method comprising:
coupling an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) to a laser source;
coupling an optical body between the AOM and an atom trap, the optical body having a plurality of spaced apart optical signal channels defining tunnels therein;
coupling at least one piezoelectric transducer to each of the optical signal channels; and
coupling a beam polarization controller to the piezoelectric transducers.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming the optical signal channels in the optical body using Selective Laser Etching (SLE).

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising forming the optical signal channels in the optical body using Femtosecond Laser Irradiation and Chemical Etching (FLICE).

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the optical signal channels are buried within the optical body.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein the optical body comprises at least one of fused silica and quartz.

20. The method of claim 15 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.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising a plurality of radio frequency (RF) drivers each configured to generate respective RF drive signals for each of the plurality of electrodes.

22. The method of claim 20 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.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising positioning a backing block in contact with the optical body on a side thereof opposite the at least one piezoelectric transducer.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the backing block comprises at least one of SiC and AlN.

Assignees

• Eagle Tech Llc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G02F1/113 Primary

  Circuit or control arrangements · CPC title

• G02F1/0136 Primary

  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

• G06E3/005

  using electro-optical or opto-electronic means · CPC title

• G06N10/00

  Quantum computing, i.e. information processing based on quantum-mechanical phenomena · CPC title