No abstract

We report a linear surface-electrode trap that can be used to form parallel ion strings. By adjusting the balance of the radio-frequency (RF) voltages applied to central and RF electrodes, the RF pseudopotential can be varied from single-well to double-well in the radial direction. Ions located on two parallel lines of the RF potential null are in principle free from excess micromotion if appropriate static voltages are applied. Calcium ions were trapped for the evaluation of the designed electrode. An ion string in the single-well potential and two ion strings in the double-well potential were observed by changing the RF voltages. Such traps could be used for quantum simulation of coupled spin systems.

We report a surface electrode trap with a relatively large trap depth (0.6-1.0 eV). The trap electrodes are formed by gold plating an alumina substrate. Calcium ions are trapped approximately 400 µm above the trap surface. We demonstrate micromotion compensation based on parametric resonance for surface electrode traps. Unlike the conventional method based on radio-frequency (rf)-photon correlation in which the wave vector of the laser beam must have a component parallel to the micromotion to be detected, the proposed method is independent of the laser propagation direction. This enables the micromotion component normal to the electrode surface to be detected without increasing the scattered light.