We recently proposed a way to create one- and two-dimensional optical lattices on a chip that are suitable for a quantum memory [1]. Lattices are created above a waveguide by interfering evanescent wave laser light of two different, co-propagating waveguide modes (see Fig. 1). For a laser detuning to the blue of the atomic transition, atoms can be trapped at the nodes of this interference pattern. We have calculated the trap parameters of such traps for realistic waveguide materials and found trap depths of ~1mK, trap frequencies of a few MHz, and the trap spacings of ~mm. We are currently investigating the light polarization near the trap sites and its effect on the trapped atom dynamics for different configurations. We are also exploring possibilities of moving the traps within the lattice, entangling pairs of trapped atoms, and performing one and two-qubit gates.
1. "One- and two-dimensional optical lattices on a chip for quantum computing", Katharina Christandl, Gregory P. Lafyatis, Seung-Cheol Lee, Jin-Fa Lee, Phys. Rev. A 70 032302 (2004).
