Southwest Quantum Information and Technology

Control over a single shared motional quantum between ions in a 2D array

Presenting Author: Nathan Lysne, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder
Contributing Author(s): Justin Niedermeyer, Jonas Keller, Katherine McCormick, Suzanna Todaro, Andrew Wilson, Daniel Slichter, Dietrich Leibfried

Two-dimensional arrays of ions trapped in individually addressable microtraps are promising systems for simulation of many-body phenomena such as spin frustration and bosons evolving in synthetic magnetic fields. Achieving control over not only each ion but also shared motional excitations to study such systems is difficult due to their geometry, susceptibility to noise in the external potential, and competition with motional heating. To realize a minimal such two-dimensional array, we have developed a surface-electrode ‘triangle trap,’ fabricated by Sandia National Labs and operated at cryogenic temperatures. This device creates a triangular array of individual trapping sites spaced 30 µm apart with sufficient degrees of freedom to independently control the motional mode frequencies and orientations of an ion trapped in each potential. In this work, we will first discuss how we control the internal and motional states of individual 9Be+ ions in the array. This toolbox includes a new technique to address and read out selected ions without the need for additional laser beams by selectively inducing micromotion via the same site-specific electric fields used for micromotion compensation. We will then share recent results on coherent operations between adjacent ions in the array, including a demonstration of over 100 exchanges of a single phonon between ions achieved by tuning motional mode frequencies into resonance through control over individual site curvatures.

(Session 12 : from 2:15 pm - 2:45 pm)