Towards a Tweezer-Based Platform with Metastable Helium-3

POSTER

Abstract

Metastable helium-3 (³He*) is the lightest atom that can be laser cooled and optically trapped. Its potential for quantum science with atom arrays arises from a unique combination of extremely low atomic mass and relatively large fine and hyperfine splittings, together with favorable properties shared with alkaline-earth-like atoms, including a divalent electronic structure and long-lived metastable states. These features enable fast reconfigurability and enhanced tunneling dynamics in optical tweezer arrays, while supporting robust hyperfine qubits compatible with high-fidelity Raman gates and deep Raman sideband cooling.

We will present our experimental system and our progress towards realizing a magneto-optical trap (MOT) of metastable helium. We are using a metastable helium laser cooling apparatus that was provided by Argonne National Laboratory, with the final MOT region replaced with a glass cell for precision optical control. We will present our progress on realizing a transverse-cooled metastable helium beam, and steps towards Zeeman slowing and trapping in a MOT.

Publication: Quantum science with arrays of metastable helium-3 atoms (2026), arXiv:2601.06763 [quant-ph].

Presenters

  • Zheyuan Li

    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Authors

  • Zheyuan Li

    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

  • Rupsa De

    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
    • University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

  • Zoe Z Yan

    • University of Chicago
    • University of Chicago, Department of Physics and James Frank Institute

  • Jacob P Covey

    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Chicago, Department of Physics and James Frank Institute, Pritzker School
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, Department of Physics and James Frank Institute
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Chicago, Department of Physics and James Frank Institute, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; University of Chicago, Department of Physics and James Frank Institute, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; University of Chicago Department of Physics and James Frank Institute, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Department of Physics, University of Chicago; Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
    • University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, University of Chicago, Dept. of Physics, James Frank Institute, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
    • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign