Eat Pizza and learn about Quantum Computing using Trapped Ions:

Please join the Western Washington ASME for a night of networking and learning as we hear from our guest speaker Dr. Ryan Bowler.

Register Here!

Abstract:

Quantum computers, or more accurately, quantum information processors, are predicted to enable a significant speedup in solving certain classes of problems compared to their classical counterparts. The elements that make up a quantum information processor include quantum bits, or “qubits,” with long lifetimes, universal quantum logic gates, information transport, and state initialization. This talk will focus on a specific implementation; the use of an atomic ion trap, wherein information transport is achieved through the movement of qubit ions across distinct trap zones. While experiment timescales had previously been dominated by ion transport and re-initialization of motional states, modern progress achieves transport and separation of qubit ions on timescales comparable to quantum logic gates. The developed techniques for ion transport result in low excitations, reducing the need for re-initialization of ion states. This can enable a significant improvement in the operation time of an ion-based quantum information processor.

Dr. Bowler Brief Bio:

Dr. Ryan Bowler has been working in the field of atomic, molecular, and optical physics since 2006. He received his B.S. in physics and B.A. in mathematics at the University of Washington. During his Ph.D. work at the University of Colorado, Boulder, his graduate research was conducted at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. There his work focused on quantum computation with trapped atomic ions using laser-driven entanglement, and working on emerging techniques to produce large-scale quantum computer architectures. He performed postdoctoral research at the University of Washington, researching the formation of trapped ultra-cold molecules, and to optically trap mixed atomic samples. Dr. Bowler currently works on photonics with EOSPACE as a member of the technical staff.