Portable quantum memory package for quantum network nodes
A packaged quantum memory device is described. The packaged quantum memory device comprises both quantum memories and quantum memory control devices within an outer package, such that the unit may be shipped, installed, and operated without opening the outer package to tune and/or operate the quantum memories. Optical and electrical control signals may be received from, or provided to, the internal components of the packaged quantum memory device via electrical and/or optical ports located on an outer package layer, and routed to the quantum memories via respective quantum memory control devices. Various electrical, optical, mechanical, and/or spin-related properties of the quantum memories may be tuned using the quantum memory control devices, as well as the local temperature and gas environments around the quantum memories. The packaged quantum memory device may be installed within a cryogenic cooling device, as a unit, and operated via the electrical and optical ports.
1. A quantum repeater, comprising:
a plurality of quantum memories;
one or more quantum memory control devices;
an outer package, wherein:
the plurality of quantum memories are enclosed within the outer package; and
the one or more quantum memory control devices are enclosed within the outer package;
one or more electrical interfaces coupled with the outer package, wherein the one or more electrical interfaces are configured to provide an interface between a device outside of the outer package and the one or more quantum memory control devices located within the outer package; and
one or more optical interfaces coupled with the outer package, wherein at least one of the one or more optical interfaces is configured to:
receive a photon to be stored in a given one of the quantum memories from a source outside of the outer package; or
provide a photon to a recipient outside of the outer package, wherein the provided photon communicates information stored in a given one of the quantum memories.
2. The quantum repeater of claim 1 , wherein:
the quantum repeater is configured to be transported from one location to another location as a unit, and
the plurality of quantum memories and the one or more quantum memory control devices are configured to remain enclosed in the outer package while the quantum repeater is being transported from the one location to the other location.
3. The quantum repeater of claim 2 , wherein the one or more quantum memory control devices are configured to:
provide quantum memory control to the plurality of quantum memories at a destination location, subsequent to the quantum repeater being transported to the destination location, without the one or more quantum memory control devices being removed from the outer package for calibration.
4. The quantum repeater of claim 3 , wherein the quantum repeater is configured to be installed, as a unit, in a cryogenic cooling device at the destination location.
5. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more quantum memories;
one or more quantum memory control devices configured to control environmental conditions experienced by the one or more quantum memories or modify one or more properties of a quantum memory layer comprising the one or more quantum memories; and
an outer package, wherein:
the one or more quantum memories are enclosed within the outer package; and
the one or more quantum memory control devices are enclosed within the outer package.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the one or more quantum memory control devices are configured to control:
a magnetic field that interacts with the one or more quantum memories;
strain applied to one or more cavities of the quantum memory layer within which the one or more quantum memories are located; or
a temperature of the one or more quantum memories.
7. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
the quantum memory layer, wherein the one or more quantum memories are included in the quantum memory layer; and
an interface layer, wherein:
the one or more quantum memory control devices are coupled to the interface layer; and
the interface layer is configured to route electrical signals and optical signals between devices external to the outer package and the quantum memory layer.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the interface layer is further configured to:
direct gas, via a gas tube extending outside of the outer package, toward the quantum memory layer; and
flow gas, via the gas tube, away from the quantum memory layer in response to a vacuum being applied to the gas tube.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the quantum memory layer comprises a plurality of quantum memories, and
wherein the interface layer provides a common interface layer for the plurality of quantum memories of the quantum memory layer.
10. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
one or more electrical interfaces coupled with the outer package, wherein the one or more electrical interfaces are configured to provide an interface between a device outside of the outer package and the one or more quantum memory control devices located within the outer package; and
one or more optical interfaces coupled with the outer package, wherein at least one of the one or more optical interfaces is configured to:
receive a photon to be stored in a given one of the quantum memories from a source outside of the outer package; or
provide a photon to a recipient outside of the outer package, wherein the provided photon communicates information stored in a given one of the quantum memories,
wherein, based on control signals received via the one or more electrical interfaces or the one or more optical interfaces, the one or more quantum memory control devices are configured to adjust, without opening the outer package, tuning of one or more cavities comprising the one or more quantum memories.
11. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
a magnet mounted within the outer package, wherein the magnet provides a magnetic field for the one or more quantum memories.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising:
a magnet holding layer mounted above the one or more quantum memories; and
piezoelectric rods coupled to the magnet holding layer,
wherein the piezoelectric rods are configured to expand or contract to adjust a positioning or orientation of the magnet relative to the one or more quantum memories, based on electrical control signals provided via an electrical interface coupled to the outer package.
13. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the outer package is further configured to:
maintain environmental conditions for the one or more quantum memories and the one or more quantum memory control devices that are enclosed within the outer package, wherein at least one of the environmental conditions is different than atmospheric conditions outside of the outer package.
14. The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising:
one or more electrical interfaces coupled with the outer package, wherein:
the one or more electrical interfaces are configured to provide an interface between a device outside of the outer package and the one or more quantum memory control devices located within the outer package; and
at least one of the one or more electrical interfaces is configured to:
couple with a computing device external to the outer package; and
provide measurement information from the one or more quantum memory control devices to the external computing device and/or receive control signals for controlling the one or more quantum memory control devices from the external computing device.
15. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the outer package comprises an insulation layer configured to:
shield components enclosed within the outer package from stray magnetic and electric fields; and
provide thermal insulation to the components enclosed within the outer package.
16. A method comprising:
storing quantum information received from a quantum information source in one or more quantum memories of a packaged quantum memory device, wherein the packaged quantum memory device comprises:
the one or more quantum memories;
one or more quantum memory control devices configured to control environmental conditions experienced by the one or more quantum memories or modify one or more properties of a quantum memory layer comprising the one or more quantum memories; and
an outer package, wherein:
the one or more quantum memories are enclosed within the outer package; and
the one or more quantum memory control devices are enclosed within the outer package; and
providing quantum information determined based on the quantum information stored in the one or more quantum memories to a quantum information recipient.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
transporting the packaged quantum memory device, as a self-contained unit, from a first location to a second location.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
installing the packaged quantum memory device, as the self-contained unit, in a cryogenic cooling device.
19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:
coupling one or more electrical connectors to one or more electrical interfaces of the outer package; and
coupling one or more optical connectors to one or more optical interfaces of the outer package.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
calibrating the packaged quantum memory device at the second location without opening the outer package.