Entanglement of Two Atoms using Rydberg Blockade

Over the past few years we have built an apparatus to demonstrate the entanglement of neutral Rb atoms at optically resolvable distances using the strong interactions between Rydberg atoms. Here we review the basic physics involved in this process: loading of single atoms into individual traps, state initialization, state readout, single atom rotations, blockade-mediated manipulation of Rydberg atoms, and demonstration of entanglement.