Efficient preparation of \mathrm{^{2}P_{3/2}} state in 171Yb+

Interfacing matter-based quantum processors with flying qubits is a building block for quantum networking. Long-lived 171Yb+ hyperfine qubits have been entangled through free-space using 369 nm photons [1]. Recently, an approach to directly generate 171Yb+-entangled telecom photons was proposed based on scattering from the 2P3/2 state into an optical cavity [2]. We report on progress toward this goal by two-step excitation of P3/2 via a meta-stable D-state; this avoids directly driving the deep-UV D2 line (329 nm) expected to charge mirror surfaces due to photoelectrons.

[1] Hucul, David, et al. Nat. Phys. 11.1 (2015): 37-42.

[2] W. Wang, et al, in OSA Quantum 2.0 Conference (2020), paper QW6A.12. [https://www.osapublishing.org/abstract.cfm?uri=QUANTUM-2020-QW6A.12 ]