Towards optical quantum networks based on rare-earth ions and nanophotonics

Optical quantum networks for distributing entanglement between quantum machines will enable distributed quantum computing, secure communications and new sensing methods. These networks will contain quantum transducers for connecting computing qubits to travelling optical photon qubits, and quantum repeater links for distributing entanglement at long distances. In this talk I present implementations of quantum hardware for repeaters and transducers using nano-photonics and rare-earth ions, like ytterbium and erbium, exhibiting highly coherent optical and spin transitions in a solid-state environment. In particular, i discuss optically addressable single quantum bits with single shot readout based on ytterbium 171 atoms, and on-chip storage and processing of photons using erbium ensembles coupled to silicon photonics.