Analysis of an atom-optical architecture for quantum computation

Quantum technology based on photons has emerged as one of the most promising platforms for quantum information processing, having already been used in proof-of-principle demonstrations of quantum communication and quantum computation. However, the scalability of this technology depends on the successful integration of experimentally feasible devices in an architecture that tolerates realistic errors and imperfections. Here, we analyse an atom-optical architecture for quantum computation designed to meet the requirements of scalability. The architecture is based on a modular atom-cavity device that provides an effective photon-photon interaction, allowing for the rapid, deterministic preparation of a large class of entangled states. We begin our analysis at the physical level, where we outline the experimental cavity quantum electrodynamics requirements of the basic device. Then, we describe how a scalable network of these devices can be used to prepare a three-dimensional topological cluster state, sufficient for universal fault-tolerant quantum computation. We conclude at the application level, where we estimate the system-level requirements of the architecture executing an algorithm compiled for compatibility with the topological cluster state