Speaker:        James D. Siverns, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK

Title:             A versatile ytterbium ion trap experiment and optimised 2D lattices

Abstract:

The development of scalable ion traps is a key ingredient towards quantum computing with trapped ions. However, the realisation of experimental systems capable of testing the wide variety of microfabricated surface, multilayer and larger macroscopic ion trap chips can be challenging. Here I will provide an overview of the design and operation of an ytterbium ion trap experiment which is compatable with a wide variety of ion traps. Central to the set-up is a helical coil resonator which provides a stable high voltage radio-frequency potential to the ion trap. A detailed design guide has been created that allows for the prediction of the resonator's frequency and quality factor taking into account the ion trap load applied to it. As a result a resonator can now be designed specifically for any given ion trap.

The first macroscopic ion trap used in the set-up with the ability to trap both single ions and ion crystals will then be described along with initial experimental results. These results include a measurement of the motional heating rate and frequency measurements of the ²S_1/2 ? ²P_1/2 and ²D_3/2 ?³D[3/2]_1/2 transitions in Yb⁺ ions more precisely than previously published work.

Lastly, work on the optimisation of a simple, scalable two-dimensional ion trap array design will be presented. The ratio of the ion-ion interaction rate to decoherence rate will be optimised by altering electrode dimensions. To highlight this process a case study example for a three by three lattice will be presented. Such an optimised array of ions could provide a fully controllable spin system enabling the solution of problems currently unattainable by classical simulators.

Coffee/tea and cake will be served at 15:05