Quantum Interfaces Between Atomic and Solid-State Systems

We discuss interfacing trapped atomic systems with solid-state systems such as superconducting Josephson-junction devices or nanomechanical oscillators. Such hybrid quantum systems could ease scalable quantum information processing and yield novel and profound insight into the quantum mechanics of macroscopic quantum many-body systems. We review the relevant interactions and illuminate the role of the vastly differing impedance of atomic and solid-state systems. We give some basic guidelines toward combining quantum systems, and finally, discuss some concrete proposals to interface atomic with solid-state systems.