PyOpticL: a code-to-CAD optical layout

We have developed an open-source Python library for Optical Layout (PyOpticL) which uses dynamic beam-path routing for quick and easy optical layout by placing optical elements along the beam, enabling dynamic layouts with automatic routing and connectivity.

See our recent preprint for details:
Qubit operations using a modular optical system engineered with PyOpticL: a code-to-CAD optical layout tool,
arXiv:2501.14957, Jacob Myers, Christopher Caron, Nishat Helaly, Zhenyu Wei, Justin Oh, Zack Gotobed, Kotaro Yabe, Robert J. Niffenegger

We use PyOpticL for all of our optics and have created modular baseplates for common optical subsystems used in atomic and molecular optics (AMO) experiments including laser sources, frequency and intensity modulation (single-pass and double-pass AOMs), and locking to an atomic reference for stabilization. These plates can be used for any wavelength and therefore for many other atomic species.

Recently we have used these 3D printed modular baseplates for trapped ion qubit operations including: laser cooling, qubit state detection, and Raman single-qubit gates with over 99% fidelity (see preprint for more details)

We are inspired by the open-source hardware collaborations created by M-Labs and ARTIQ and we hope that PyOpticL creates a similar open-source hardware collaborative hardware for optical systems.

Please let us know if you’re interested in using the library for your lab or application. We’re looking for neutral atom lab and ion trap partners to collaborate on open-sourcing a neutral atom system (demonstration of a MOT etc. and expanding to more ion species)
Please contact us if you’re interested!

https://github.com/UMassIonTrappers/PyOpticL

The GitHub readme describes how to get started and hosts all CAD files of baseplates etc.