arXiv subjects

David I Schuster

Publications and source records attributed to David I Schuster.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

XCOM: Full Mesh Network Synchronization and Low-Latency Communication for QICK (Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit)

Quantum computing experiments and testbeds with large qubit counts have until recently been a privilege afforded only to large companies or quantum technologies where scaling to hundreds or thousands of qubits does not require a substantial increase in quantum control hardware (neutral atoms, trapped ions, or spin defects). Superconducting and spin qubit testbeds critically depend on scaling their control systems beyond what a single electronics board can provide. Multi-board control systems combining RF, fast DC control, bias, and readout require precise synchronization and communication across many hardware and firmware components. To address this, we present XCOM, a network that synchronizes QICK boards and the absolute clocks governing quantum program execution to within 100 ps, free of drift and loss of lock. XCOM also provides deterministic, all-to-all simultaneous data communication with latency below 185 ns. Like QICK itself, XCOM is compatible with a broad range of qubit technologies and is designed to scale to large systems.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2025

Light-controlled strong coupling of optical cavity modes spaced by 200 THz

Cavities have driven significant advances in optical physics and quantum science, with applications ranging from lasers and spectroscopy to quantum information processing, simulation and metrology. For standard optical cavities, each eigenmode corresponds to a single, well-defined frequency. Here, we present a macroscopic optical Fabry-Pérot cavity whose eigenmodes are coherent superpositions of two frequency modes in the VIS-NIR range. Specifically, we demonstrate strong coupling between 384 THz (780 nm) and 580 THz (516 nm) cavity modes by incorporating an intracavity $χ^{(2)}$ crystal driven by a non-resonant optical pump at 1529 nm. Strong coupling enables us to demonstrate frequency conversion with an end-to-end, free-space conversion efficiency of 30(1)%, limited by current cavity design and internal cavity losses. We also demonstrate coupling between distinct spatial modes at the two frequencies, extending coherent control to the spatial basis. In conjunction with improved resonator design and low-loss nonlinear crystals, we anticipate a factor of $>$50 increase in two-mode-cooperativity for stronger coupling and near-unity conversion efficiency at low pump powers. This platform opens new avenues for cavity-QED experiments, with potential applications spanning cavity-mediated interactions between distinct atomic species, interconnects for quantum networking and modular computing, and spatially multimode cavity physics.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2022

The QICK (Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit): Readout and control for qubits and detectors

We introduce a Xilinx RFSoC-based qubit controller (called the Quantum Instrumentation Control Kit, or QICK for short) which supports the direct synthesis of control pulses with carrier frequencies of up to 6 GHz. The QICK can control multiple qubits or other quantum devices. The QICK consists of a digital board hosting an RFSoC (RF System-on-Chip) FPGA \cite{zcu111}, custom firmware and software and an optional companion custom-designed analog front-end board. We characterize the analog performance of the system, as well as its digital latency, important for quantum error correction and feedback protocols. We benchmark the controller by performing standard characterizations of a transmon qubit. We achieve an average Clifford gate fidelity of $\mathcal{F}_{avg}=99.93\%$. All of the schematics, firmware, and software are open-source \cite{QICKrepo}.

quant-ph↗