“All of Menlo Systems’ products have to do with lasers,” summarizes Dr. Michael Mei, co-founder and co-CEO of the company, which was founded in 2001. A diverse audience gathered in a seminar room at Menlo Systems’ headquarters west of Munich and listened intently to his introductory remarks. What are the key properties of light? What exactly are lasers? And what does all this have to do with quantum technologies? All these questions quickly led to the so-called frequency comb – a device with which the frequency of electromagnetic radiation, such as light, can be measured very precisely. The technology was developed at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics (MPQ) and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2005. Menlo Systems is a spin-off from the MPQ, and the frequency comb is its most important product.
For quantum computers based on neutral atoms, atoms must be trapped, cooled, and manipulated; to do this, researchers use lasers of different colors, i.e., different frequencies. Extremely high accuracy and stability of all lasers are of great importance here – and the frequency comb ensures this. A photo from the MPQ laboratory taken in 2000, which Mei showed in his presentation, depicted a frequency comb that filled the entire room. The products Menlo Systems manufactures today are significantly more compact and fit into a rack drawer.
Following the theoretical introduction, visitors were given the rare opportunity to tour the facilities where the optical frequency combs are manufactured. These are located in the basement, as the cellar offers better protection against disruptive vibrations, such as those caused by passing trucks. Another station focused on optical atomic clocks, where frequency combs that stabilize the laser light’s frequency also play a crucial role. The final station showcased various finished products from Menlo Systems. Staff answered the guests’ numerous remaining questions during a concluding social gathering with drinks and snacks.