Patents by Inventor Mark Saffman

Mark Saffman has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11893452
    Abstract: In the context of gate-model quantum computing, atoms (or polyatomic molecules) are excited to respective Rydberg states to foster intra-gate interactions. Rydberg states with relatively high principal quantum numbers are used for relatively distant intra-gate interactions and require relatively great inter-gate separations to avoid error-inducing inter-gate interactions. Rydberg states with relatively low principal quantum numbers can be used for intra-gate interactions over relatively short intra-gate distances and require relatively small inter-gate separations to avoid error-inducing inter-gate interactions. The relatively small inter-gate separations provide opportunities for parallel gate executions, which, in turn, can provide for faster execution of the quantum circuit constituted by the gates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: ColdQuanta, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas William Noel, Mark Saffman, Matthew Ebert
  • Patent number: 11868095
    Abstract: An atomic clock employs alkali metal atoms such as cesium normally used for microwave atomic clocks but with optical stimulation. While alkali metals provide light emissions having a spectral width being as much as 107 wider (and hence less precise) than alkali earth materials commonly targeted for optical atomic clocks, the present inventors have determined that this disadvantage is significantly reduced by improved signal-to-noise ratio in the obtained signal making practical an atomic clock with improved size, weight, and power consumption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark Saffman, Shimon Kolkowitz, Arjav Sharma
  • Publication number: 20230318246
    Abstract: A coherent light source provides spontaneous emission (Dicke superradiance/subradiance) using a dilute and optically thin cloud of disordered atoms. The coherent light source provides improved noise statistics over that of a laser and, accordingly, may be used in sensitive interferometric applications such as light gyroscopes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Deniz Yavuz, David Gold, Mark Saffman, Thad Walker
  • Publication number: 20230297033
    Abstract: An atomic clock employs alkali metal atoms such as cesium normally used for microwave atomic clocks but with optical stimulation. While alkali metals provide light emissions having a spectral width being as much as 107 wider (and hence less precise) than alkali earth materials commonly targeted for optical atomic clocks, the present inventors have determined that this disadvantage is significantly reduced by improved signal-to-noise ratio in the obtained signal making practical an atomic clock with improved size, weight, and power consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Mark Saffman, Shimon Kolkowitz, Arjav Sharma
  • Patent number: 11575860
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the optical control of qubits and other quantum particles with spatial light modulators (SLM) for quantum computing and quantum simulation are disclosed herein. The system may include a particle system configured to provide an ordered array comprising a multiplicity of quantum particles or a multiplicity of qubits, an optical source, a SLM configured to project a structured illumination pattern capable of individually addressing one or more quantum particles or qubits of the ordered array, and a SLM controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Mark Saffman, Trent Michael Graham, Robert Sylvester Williamson, III
  • Patent number: 11531249
    Abstract: A pair of acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) is used to steer a pair of laser beams to address individual atoms of an array of atoms so that the beams can conditionally induce a 2-photon transition between the atom's quantum energy levels. The first beam is deflected into a +1 diffraction order, resulting in an AOD output beam with a frequency greater than that of the respective AOD input beam. The second beam is deflected into a ?1 diffraction order so that the AOD output beam has a frequency less than that of the respective AOD input beam. The equal and opposite frequency changes compensate it other so that the sum of the output frequencies remains constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: ColdQuanta, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Saffman
  • Patent number: 11488052
    Abstract: A pair of acousto-optic deflectors (AODs) is used to steer a pair of laser beams to address individual atoms of an array of atoms so that the beams can conditionally induce a 2-photon transition between the atom's quantum energy levels. The first beam is deflected into a +1 diffraction order, resulting in an AOD output beam with a frequency greater than that of the respective AOD input beam. The second beam is deflected into a ?1 diffraction order so that the AOD output beam has a frequency less than that of the respective AOD input beam. The equal and opposite frequency changes compensate it other so that the sum of the output frequencies remains resonant with the transition of interest. Thus, AODs can be used to steer laser beams to address individual atoms of an atom array.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: ColdQuanta, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Saffman
  • Publication number: 20220261675
    Abstract: A trap for quantum particles, e.g., cesium atoms, is formed using electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of different wavelengths (concurrently and/or at different times). “Red-detuned” EMR, having a trap wavelength longer than a resonant wavelength for a quantum particle is “attracting” and, so, can be used to form the array trap while loading atoms into the array trap. “Blue-detuned” EMR, having a trap wavelength shorter than the resonant wavelength can repel atoms into dark areas away from the EMR peaks so that the atoms are not disturbed by interference carried by the EMR; accordingly, the blue-detuned EMR is used to form the array trap during quantum-circuit execution. Red and blue detuned EMR are used together to form deeper traps that can be used to detect vacant atom sites. Other combinations of trap wavelengths can also be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas William NOEL, Mark SAFFMAN
  • Publication number: 20220262535
    Abstract: A trap for quantum particles, e.g., cesium atoms, is formed using electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of different wavelengths (concurrently and/or at different times). “Red-detuned” EMR, having a trap wavelength longer than a resonant wavelength for a quantum particle is “attracting” and, so, can be used to form the array trap while loading atoms into the array trap. “Blue-detuned” EMR, having a trap wavelength shorter than the resonant wavelength can repel atoms into dark areas away from the EMR peaks so that the atoms are not disturbed by interference carried by the EMR; accordingly, the blue-detuned EMR is used to form the array trap during quantum-circuit execution. Red and blue detuned EMR are used together to form deeper traps that can be used to detect vacant atom sites. Other combinations of trap wavelengths can also be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Thomas William NOEL, Mark SAFFMAN
  • Publication number: 20220076857
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling particles using projected light are provided. In some aspects, the method includes generating a beam of light using an optical source, and directing the beam of light to a beam filter comprising a first mask, a first lens, a second mask, and a second lens. The method also includes forming an optical pattern using the beam filter, and projecting the optical pattern on a plurality of particles to control their locations in space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventor: Mark SAFFMAN
  • Publication number: 20210410266
    Abstract: A vacuum cell provides for electric field control within an ultra-high vacuum (UHV) for cold-neutral-atom quantum computing and other quantum applications. Electrode assemblies extend through vacuum cell walls. Prior to cell assembly, contacts are bonded to respective locations on the ambient-facing surfaces of the walls. Trenches are formed in the vacuum-facing surfaces of walls and via holes are formed, extending from trenches through the wall and into the contacts. Plating conductive material into the trenches and via holes forms the electrodes and vias. The electrodes are contained by the trenches and do not extend beyond the trenches so as to avoid interfering with the bonding of components to the vacuum-facing surfaces of the walls. The vias extend into the contacts to ensure good electrical contact. An electric-field controller applies electric potentials to the electrodes (via the contacts) to control electric fields within the vacuum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Mark SAFFMAN, Thomas William NOEL, Steven Michael HUGHES
  • Publication number: 20210406751
    Abstract: In the context of gate-model quantum computing, atoms (or polyatomic molecules) are excited to respective Rydberg states to foster intra-gate interactions. Rydberg states with relatively high principal quantum numbers are used for relatively distant intra-gate interactions and require relatively great inter-gate separations to avoid error-inducing inter-gate interactions. Rydberg states with relatively low principal quantum numbers can be used for intra-gate interactions over relatively short intra-gate distances and require relatively small inter-gate separations to avoid error-inducing inter-gate interactions. The relatively small inter-gate separations provide opportunities for parallel gate executions, which, in turn, can provide for faster execution of the quantum circuit constituted by the gates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas William NOEL, Mark SAFFMAN, Matthew EBERT
  • Publication number: 20210337171
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the optical control of qubits and other quantum particles with spatial light modulators (SLM) for quantum computing and quantum simulation are disclosed herein. The system may include a particle system configured to provide an ordered array comprising a multiplicity of quantum particles or a multiplicity of qubits, an optical source, a SLM configured to project a structured illumination pattern capable of individually addressing one or more quantum particles or qubits of the ordered array, and a SLM controller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2020
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicants: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, ColdQuanta, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Saffman, Trent Michael Graham, Robert Sylvester Williamson, III
  • Publication number: 20210279628
    Abstract: When a molecule is lost from a site of a qubit array, the site can be identified as a “target” site. A target site can be reloaded by transporting a molecule from a reservoir at least two millimeters to the target site. Alternatively, in response to the identifying, a molecule that has been transferred from the reservoir to a qubit-array region including the qubit array can be transferred to the target site. Quantum-logic language (QLL) programs can continue qubit operations on the array during transfers from the reservoir to the qubit region. Such operations can also continue during transfer from within the qubit region to a target site; in some cases, these latter operations are limited to sections of the qubit array not including a target site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 9, 2021
    Inventors: Thomas William NOEL, Mark SAFFMAN
  • Patent number: 10559392
    Abstract: A system and method for controlling particles using projected light are provided. In some aspects, the method includes generating a beam of light using an optical source, and directing the beam of light to a beam filter comprising a first mask, a first lens, a second mask, and a second lens. The method also includes forming an optical pattern using the beam filter, and projecting the optical pattern on a plurality of particles to control their locations in space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventor: Mark Saffman