Detectors, optical switches, and waveguides

A quantum computing system, comprising:

• a vacuum enclosure configured to sustain a vacuum below 10−3 millibar;
• at least one optical resonator tuned to a resonance of an atom;
• at least one trapping laser for maintaining the atom within a mode of the at least one optical resonator;
• an atom excitation laser for inducing emissions of photons;
• a plurality of waveguides, wherein at least one of the plurality of waveguides is configured to couple the photons to or from the at least one optical resonator;
• at least one detector associated with at least one of the plurality of waveguides and configured to detect at least some of the emitted photons;
• a plurality of optical switches for switching between at least two of the plurality of waveguides;
• and
• at least one processor configured to:
• control the plurality of optical switches to thereby select at least one of the plurality of waveguides for carrying at least one photon.

A quantum computing method, comprising

• sustaining a vacuum below 10−3 millibar;
• tuning at least one optical resonator to a resonance of an atom;
• maintaining the atom within a mode of the at least one optical resonator using at least one trapping laser;
• inducing emissions of photons using an atom excitation laser;
• detecting at least some of the emitted photons using at least one detector associated with at least one of a plurality of waveguides;
• and
• controlling a plurality of optical switches to thereby select at least one of the plurality of waveguides for carrying at least one photon.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to carry out a quantum computing method, the method comprising:

• sustaining a vacuum below 10−3 millibar;
• tuning at least one optical resonator to a resonance of an atom;
• maintaining the atom within a mode of the at least one optical resonator using at least one trapping laser;
• inducing emissions of photons using an atom excitation laser;
• detecting at least some of the emitted photons using at least one detector associated with at least one of a plurality of waveguides;
• and
• controlling a plurality of optical switches to thereby select at least one of the plurality of waveguides for carrying at least one photon.