Embedded Subsystem for Atom Detection in a Quantum Computer Testbed

The quantum technologies training and testbed lab, located in the electrical and computer engineering department, is building a quantum computer testbed based on neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezers. Atoms will be trapped in a pre-defined array of optical tweezers in the focal plane of an in-vacuum microscope objective and then detected on an EMCCD camera via fluorescence imaging. Depending on the quantum state of these atoms, they will either fluoresce or not. This student team will work to determine which atoms are fluorescing in as little time as possible. By developing an embedded system within the ARTIQ open-source FPGA framework, using the Camera Link protocol and dedicated subsystems for image processing, this student team will work to design, implement, and test a subsystem for atom detection for the quantum computer testbed. This student team will also work to design a programmable "mock atom array" to test this imaging subsystem based on off-the-shelf optical components and a microdisplay. The design parameters this student team will work to include are the configurable properties of the Camera Link interface, atomic fluorescence rate, imaging system optical design parameters. Key performance indicators for this subsystem are detection fidelity and detection time. This student team will work to design, build, and test this new subsystem within the context of the ARTIQ open-source FGPA hardware framework. Outcomes this student team will work to achieve include: 1. Demonstration of EMCCD camera control and data acquisition over camera link interface connected to the artiq 2. A subsystem architecture compatible with the ARTIQ framework - the main choice here being how to handle image processing to minimize timing overhead. 3. Design and build the imaging subsystem and micro-display based test fixture. 4. Test, provide a report that details the performance of the system, design factors that limit performance, and tradeoffs.

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