Towards a continuously reloaded Yb-171 atom array-cavity system for quantum networking

Alkaline earth(-like) atoms are an emerging platform for quantum computing and networking, enabled by ultra-narrow optical clock transitions and long-lived, well-isolated nuclear spin states. A ytterbium-171 atom array coupled to an optical cavity enables fast, non-destructive qubit readout and efficient photon interconnects between modules, supporting long-range interactions that facilitate the generation of large-scale entanglement.

We present the design and modeling of a cavity-based system using Yb-171 atoms with continuous atomic reloading, currently under construction. The apparatus employs an optical lattice conveyor belt to transport atoms from a three-dimensional magneto-optical trap into the science region, where they are loaded into optical tweezers. This approach enables the replacement of lost atoms during multiplexed networking operations.

Together, these capabilities establish a path toward persistent, network-compatible quantum nodes based on neutral atoms. This network node is being constructed at Argonne National Lab, and together with a similar system in the Covey Lab at the University of Chicago, we are building a Chicago-area metropolitan networking testbed via a 50-km fiber link.