Position
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Office Phone
609-258-6124

Email
jdthompson@princeton.edu

Assistant
Barbara Fruhling

Office
B328, Engineering Quadrangle

Website
https://sites.google.com/site/thompsonlabq/home

Degrees
PhD, Harvard University, 2014
BS, Yale University, 2007

Advisee(s):
Miguel Caranti
Lukasz Dusanowski
Sebastian Horvath
Yiyi Li
Genyue Liu
Matthew Molinelli
Salim Ourari
Pai Peng
Michael Peper
Sharon Ruth Platt
Adam Turflinger
Mehmet Tuna Uysal
Haitong Xu
Bichen Zhang
Mingkun Zhao




Bio/Description
Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Associated Faculty in the Princeton Institute of Materials (PRISM)
My research explores methods to gain control over individual atoms for computing, communications and sensing technology. When isolated, atoms display manifestly quantum mechanical behavior, routinely doing things like being in two places at the same time or getting entangled with their neighbors. In macroscopic clumps like computer chips, these effects are washed out. However, there is strong motivation to try to build computers and communications devices in such a way that the quantum properties of individual atoms can be retained because devices operating according to quantum laws can offer dramatic advantages in terms of power and security.
We focus on two types of isolated atoms: atoms levitated in vacuum and impurities in otherwise perfect crystals. In both cases, we use nano-fabricated optical structures as a microscope that allows us to resolve these atoms, and to prepare and measure their quantum states using photons. Additionally, these photons can be used to create interactions and entanglement between atoms.
In one research direction, we are using nanophotonic circuits to spatially isolate and address individual or small clusters of rare earth ion dopants in crystalline hosts for use as single photon sources and quantum memories. These are crucial ingredients for quantum repeater systems for quantum communications networks. In connection with this research, we are also working on basic engineering for other components of a complete quantum repeater architecture, such as high-Q photonic crystal cavities, fiber-chip interconnects, wavelength converters and ultra-low-noise single photon detectors.
In a second research direction, we are developing techniques to laser-cool and trap large arrays of atoms levitated in vacuum. The potential to create very uniform and homogeneous arrays with long-range photon-mediated interactions creates many possibilities for studies of quantum many-body physics and new quantum computing architectures.
?

Selected Publications
Google Scholar Profile
Honors and Awards:
DOE Early Career Award? 2019
Sloan Fellow in Physics? ?2019
Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)? 2019
AFOSR Young Investigator? 2017
Hertz Foundation Graduate Fellowship? 2008

Related News ECE faculty to lead development of quantum simulators in major NSF-funded effort
A new spin on atoms gives scientists a closer look at quantum weirdness
Electrical engineering faculty to lead on new $115 million quantum science center
Thompson receives junior faculty award for outstanding teaching and research
Princeton announces initiative to propel innovations in quantum science and technology
Electrical engineering faculty receive presidential early-career awards

Research Areas
Applied Physics
Photonics
Quantum Engineering