Press Release May 2024

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University Kaiserslautern fast tracks Quantum Computer development withnew DDS firmware option
AWG cards by Spectrum Instrumentation used to position atoms as qubits in an optical tweezer array
Grosshansdorf, Germany – 12. June 2024. There are many ways to build a Quantum Computer (QC) and RPTU
Kaiserslautern’s approach within the Rymax One collaboration is to create an array of single atoms that act as qubits. The
challenge is moving and holding each atom in its precise location. This is done by using a laser on each atom that traps it
into the center of the laser beam effectively acting as an optical tweezer. However, point-by-point programming of eachmovement of the beam currently requires a lot of programming and a huge amount of data. This has now been cut
dramatically with the use of the new Direct Digital Syntheses (DDS) firmware option from Spectrum Instrumentation sothat the position of the lasers can be controlled with a few simple commands that define the start and stop parametersinstead of making time consuming, large data array calculations.
Dipl.-Phys. Jonas Witzenrath said, “This is making a huge
difference to the progress of our research. Using the new DDS
option, we have been able to make rapid progress and reducethe complexity in the system allowing us to focus on advancing
the research. The next step is to do the reordering of atoms ina static two dimensional array using the dynamic capabilities of
the DDS-firmware." Furthermore, in the next phase, they will
use the AWGs to shape ideal UV laser pulses for precisely
controlling interactions between qubits.
“DDS has become a vital tool in our project and we are findingthat it can actually be used in other things in the lab as it is very
flexible and can be used for other functions so we don’t have tobuy dedicated equipment for them. For example, pulsed lasers,
chirp generation, etc. We worked very closely with Spectrum todevelop this DDS feature and are now working on expanding its
possible uses in research so that it can help other laboratories.”

Graduate physicist Jonas Witzenrath at the quantum experimental
setup of University Kaiserslautern, Germany

He added that the Spectrum AWG cards were chosen as they are becoming the solution of choice for quantum research dueto their great analogue performance paired with large memory and high transfer speed onto the card. The latter is crucial as
the experiment has to pause until the re-ordering waveforms are computed and uploaded onto the cards. The transfer speed
sets the Spectrum AWG cards apart from other products and that is the main reason why they are widely used in the AMO/QC
community. The speed of the card’s operation was also very important. FastAWGs have the intrinsic problem of latencies on the order of tens ofmilliseconds or large jitter which results in inaccuracies and longer processing
times as the system corrects and recorrects. The DDS firmware enables
Spectrum’s AWGs to generate commands within twenty microsecond and, due
to the intrinsic timing, the commands are practically jitter-free.

The Acousto-Optic Deflector (red arrow) splits one
laser beam into many controllable single beams
which catch and hold the atoms

In one example experiment, the Spectrum Instrumentation AWG card
M4i.6631-x8 is used to drive an AOD (Acousto-Optic Deflector) that generates
a tweezer to trap the atoms. The AOD is driven with an RF-signal with afrequency around 82 MHz. With their current setup, a change of 1 MHz moves
the tweezer with an atom by about 8 μm within 100 μs, using s-shaped
frequency ramps to minimize heating. During this time, the amplitude of thesignal is linearly changed to compensate for changes in light intensity.

The DDS firmware option
DDS is a method for generating arbitrary periodic sine waves from a single, fixed-frequency reference clock. It is a techniquewidely used in a variety of signal generation applications. The new option by Spectrum Instrumentation allows users to define
Headquarters

US OfficeSpectrum Instrumentation GmbH, Germany
Phone: +49 4102-6956-0
Email: Info@spec.de

Spectrum Instrumentation Corp., USA
Phone: (201) 562-1999
Email: Sales@spectrum-instrumentation.com

https://www.spectrum-instrumentation.com

Press Release May 2024

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23 DDS cores per AWG card, that can be routed to the hardware output channels. Each DDS core (sine wave) can be
programmed for frequency, amplitude, phase, frequency slope and amplitude slope. The DDS output can be synchronizedwith external trigger events or by a programmable timer with a resolution of 6.4 ns.
In DDS-mode, the AWG acts as a generator for the multi-tone DDS
signal. The unit’s built-in 4 GByte of memory and fast DMA transfer
mode then allows the streaming of DDS commands at a rate as highas 10 million commands per second! This unique capability provides
the flexibility to perform user-defined slopes (e.g. s-shaped) as wellas various modulation types (e.g. FM and AM) with simple, easy-touse, DDS commands.
The Rymax One QC design
Individual Ytterbium atoms are suspended in a vacuum in a Rydberg
state using optical tweezers. The Rymax collaboration specificallyfocuses on quantum optimization problems, such as the Maximum
Independent Set problem, and algorithms such QAOA or quantum
annealing to find solutions. This allows them to build optimized
hardware for “analog” quantum computing. One key-aspect of thedesign is dynamic control over (UV-)laser light, for which full control
over the different RF-signals is required. This is where Spectrum
Instrumentation’s long-standing expertise is valuable.

Widely used by quantum researchers around theword: The M4i.6631-x8 Arbitrary Waveform
Generator with 1.25 GS/s sampling speed, 16-bit
resolution and 2 channels

About Spectrum Instrumentation
Spectrum Instrumentation, founded in 1989, uses a unique modular concept to design and produce a wide range of morethan 200 digitizers and generator products as PC-cards (PCIe and PXIe) and stand-alone Ethernet units (LXI). In over 30 years,
Spectrum has gained customers all around the world, including many A-brand industry-leaders and practically all prestigious
universities. The company is headquartered near Hamburg, Germany, known for its 5-year warranty and outstanding support
that comes directly from the design engineers. More information about Spectrum can be found at www.spectruminstrumentation.com

Headquarters

US OfficeSpectrum Instrumentation GmbH, Germany
Phone: +49 4102-6956-0
Email: Info@spec.deSpectrum Instrumentation Corp., USA
Phone: (201) 562-1999
Email: Sales@spectrum-instrumentation.com

https://www.spectrum-instrumentation.com