Entanglement of two individual atoms using the Rydberg blockade

A. Browaeys, A. Gaëtan, T. Wilk, C. Evellin, J. Wolters, Y. Miroshnychenko, P. Grangier, P. Pillet, D. Comparat, A. Chotia, M. Viteau

Published 2009-10-05Version 1

We report on our recent progress on the manipulation of single rubidium atoms trapped in optical tweezers and the generation of entanglement between two atoms, each individually trapped in neighboring tweezers. To create an entangled state of two atoms in their ground states, we make use of the Rydberg blockade mechanism. The degree of entanglement is measured using global rotations of the internal states of both atoms. Such internal state rotations on a single atom are demonstrated with a high fidelity.