Neutral-atom arrays are a leading platform for quantum computing. Previously, researchers developing such arrays had to choose between scalability and efficiency. Now Anna Soper of Stanford University and colleagues have demonstrated a way to combine both attributes in the same setup [1].
In a conventional neutral-atom quantum computer, each atom is manipulated and read using lasers in free space. This approach is inherently scalable: Since the laser optics are spatially separate from the atom array, the array can be extended without the additional hardware getting in the way. However, each atom emits unreliably and in all directions, making readout inefficient. Researchers can orchestrate stronger, more reliable light–atom interactions by placing the atoms in optical cavities. But having to add a new cavity for each additional atom makes such setups difficult to scale up.
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