Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:0912.1533 · New Journal of Physics

Fabrication of a planar micro Penning trap and numerical investigations of versatile ion positioning protocols

M Hellwig, A. Bautista-Salvador, Kilian Singer, Günther Werth, Ferdinand Schmidt‐Kaler

Published Jun 28, 2010• 21 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We describe a versatile planar Penning trap structure, which allows one to dynamically modify the trapping configuration almost arbitrarily. The trap consists of 37 hexagonal electrodes, each with a circumcircle diameter of 300 μm, fabricated in a gold-on-sapphire lithographic technique. Every hexagon can be addressed individually, thus shaping the electric potential. The fabrication of such a device with clean room methods is demonstrated. We illustrate the variability of the device by a detailed numerical simulation of a lateral and a vertical transport and simulate trapping in racetrack and artificial crystal configurations. The trap may be used for ions or electrons, as a versatile container for quantum optics and quantum information experiments.

DOI
10.1088/1367-2630/12/6/065019

Related papers

Microfabricated Paul traps for levitating and shuttling of ions and charged particles

Hwanjit Rattanasonti

Trapped ions in Paul traps (radio frequency ion traps) are a promising candidate for the realization of a quantum computer. To date, experimental demonstrations of quantum computing and information processing with trapped ions have been limited to small numbers of quantum bits (qubits). The most prominent challenge to realise ion-trap quantum computation is to scale the system and control a large number of trapped ions coherently. Surface-electrode ion trap designs which are amenable to various microfabrication techniques offer a path to achieve this. In this work, design, fabrication and key operations of two types of surface-electrode ion traps, i.e. a Y-junction trap and a two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal lattice trap developed towards scaling ion-trap architectures, are presented. The steps involved in the fabrication of the ion-trap devices included photolithography, wet etch (hydrofluoric acid etch) and dry etch (deep reactive ion and inductively coupled plasma etching), and metal evaporation. The devices were fabricated on SOI substrates with different buried oxide thicknesses (i.e. 5 µm and 10 µm) and different metals for the trap electrodes (i.e. gold and aluminium). An extremely high-breakdown voltage up to 1 kV was measured in vacuum for the SOI-built test devices with a 10 µm-thick buried oxide formed by oxide film-to-oxide film bonding process. This is attributed to the deep V-shaped undercut profile of the buried oxide layer which resulted in a large breakdown path length, and so mitigating surface breakdown effects. Owing to the V-shaped undercut profile, the surface breakdown voltage was improved by 15% for the devices fabricated on SOI substrates with a 10 µm-thick buried oxide. In the first experiment, the demonstration of ytterbium (174Yb+) ion trapping in the 2D hexagonal lattice trap is achieved with a relatively long lifetime of a laser-cooled ion up to 90 minutes and ≤ 5 minutes without cooling in ultra-high vacuum system. The 2D lattice trap design allows for reliable trapping of 2D ion lattices, rudimentary shuttling between lattice sites and deterministic introducing of defects into the ion lattice. Based on all these abilities, such a 2D lattice trap with the predicted reduction of lattice spacing down to 32 µm can be configured as a versatile architecture for 2D quantum simulations with trapped ions. In the second experiment, microparticle trapping in the 2D lattice trap, performed in air, is achieved with the longest trapping lifetime of 60 minutes. Both gold and aluminium-coated electrodes also lead to comparable trapping performances. Furthermore, the in situ levitation of microparticles is successfully demonstrated at the maximum levitation height of 30 µm. This ability provides additional control on the trapping height which increases the overall functionality of the 2D lattice trap.

•Jan 1, 2015•0 citations

Demonstration of a micro-fabricated Penning trap for quantum computing

Tobias Sägesser, Shreyans Jain, Pavel Hrmo +2 more

Trapped-ion quantum information processors are among the leading candidates to realise large-scale quantum computing. In trying to scale the number of confined ions in radio-frequency (rf) traps, several challenges arise due to the use of the rf fields. Ion placement is restricted to the vicinity of the rf null in order to minimise excess micromotion. Miniaturisation of trap geometries is desirable for increased ion density, but is at odds with the need to deliver high-voltage rf and tolerate the resulting power dissipation. We demonstrate a platform based on Penning traps, where ions are radially confined using a strong magnetic field. Static electric fields are then sufficient to provide confinement along the axis. We confine a single9Be + ion in a 3 T magnetic field using a micro-fabricated trap and realise transport to arbitrary positions above the trap chip. Furthermore, we show full quantum control of the spin and motion of the trapped ion. Ground state cooling of all motional modes is achieved and we measure the rate of motional heating due to electric field noise in the absence of an rf drive, obtaining noise levels below those observed in similar rf traps. Since only static fields are required for ion confinement, we can temporarily electrically isolate the trap electrodes from technical noise using switches, further reducing the observed electric field noise.

IEEE International Conference on Quantum Computing and Engineering (QCE)•Sep 17, 2023•0 citations

Penning micro-trap for quantum computing

Shreyans Jain, Tobias Sägesser, Pavel Hrmo +8 more

Abstract Trapped ions in radio-frequency traps are among the leading approaches for realizing quantum computers, because of high-fidelity quantum gates and long coherence times1–3. However, the use of radio-frequencies presents several challenges to scaling, including requiring compatibility of chips with high voltages4, managing power dissipation5 and restricting transport and placement of ions6. Here we realize a micro-fabricated Penning ion trap that removes these restrictions by replacing the radio-frequency field with a 3 T magnetic field. We demonstrate full quantum control of an ion in this setting, as well as the ability to transport the ion arbitrarily in the trapping plane above the chip. This unique feature of the Penning micro-trap approach opens up a modification of the quantum charge-coupled device architecture with improved connectivity and flexibility, facilitating the realization of large-scale trapped-ion quantum computing, quantum simulation and quantum sensing.

arXiv:2308.07672•Nature•Mar 13, 2024•33 citations

A versatile laser-machined rf trap for arrays of 100+ ions

Frank G. Schroer, Ilyoung Jung, Thomas W. Burkle +4 more

Large ion crystals in diverse geometries are a key resource for quantum simulation experiments. In this work, we introduce a macroscopic rf trap that supports a wide variety of one-dimensional ion configurations as well as lateral two-dimensional crystals with more than 100 ions. Our design is based on precision-machined fused silica wafers that are stacked to form the trap structure. Ten independently biased electrodes provide flexible control over the axial potential, enabling long one-dimensional crystals, isospaced ion strings, split-well chains, and two-dimensional arrays with tunable aspect ratios. We present the design and fabrication process for this trap and demonstrate the ability to tune the radial secular frequencies, detect and compensate micromotion, rotate the principal axes, and characterize trapped ion heating rates. All trap design and documentation files are freely available alongside this work, to facilitate adoption and further development within the ion trap community.

quant-pharXiv:2607.13342•Jul 16, 2026•0 citations

Quantum information processing in a Penning ion trap

J. J. Bollinger, Jason M. Kriesel, Wayne M. Itano +1 more

We discuss the potential of the Penning ion trap for quantum information processing. An ion plasma in a Penning trap rotates about the trap (or magnetic field) axis. We have demonstrated phase-locked control of this rotation by a rotating electric field perturbation (a “rotating wall”). This precise control enables the formation of planar arrays of ions that could potentially be used for quantum computation with the Cirac-Zoller scheme, mimicking a “hard disk” geometry. Current experiments with miniature rf traps observe significant heating and decoherence which is believed to be due to fluctuating patch fields on the trap electrodes. This heating should be several orders of magnitude less in the larger Penning trap.

Optical Fiber Communication Conference•Jan 1, 2001•0 citations

Industrially microfabricated ion trap with 1 eV trap depth

Silke Auchter, Christopher J. Axline, Chiara Decaroli +12 more

Abstract Scaling trapped-ion quantum computing will require robust trapping of at least hundreds of ions over long periods, while increasing the complexity and functionality of the trap itself. Symmetric three-dimensional (3D) structures enable high trap depth, but microfabrication techniques are generally better suited to planar structures that produce less ideal conditions for trapping. We present an ion trap fabricated on stacked eight-inch wafers in a large-scale micro-electro-mechanical system microfabrication process that provides reproducible traps at a large volume. Electrodes are patterned on the surfaces of two opposing wafers bonded to a spacer, forming a 3D structure with 2.5 μm standard deviation in alignment across the stack. We implement a design achieving a trap depth of 1 eV for a 40Ca+ ion held at 200 μm from either electrode plane. We characterize traps, achieving measurement agreement with simulations to within ±5% for mode frequencies spanning 0.6–3.8 MHz, and evaluate stray electric field across multiple trapping sites. We measure motional heating rates over an extensive range of trap frequencies, and temperatures, observing 40 phonons/s at 1 MHz and 185 K. This fabrication method provides a highly scalable approach for producing a new generation of 3D ion traps.

arXiv:2202.08244•Quantum Science and Technology•May 17, 2022•23 citations
We describe a versatile planar Penning trap structure, which allows one to dynamically modify the trapping configuration almost arbitrarily. The trap consists of 37 hexagonal electrodes, each with a circumcircle diameter of 300 μm, fabricated in a gold-on-sapphire lithographic technique. Every hexagon can be addressed individually, thus shaping the electric potential. The fabrication of such a device with clean room methods is demonstrated. We illustrate the variability of the device by a detailed numerical simulation of a lateral and a vertical transport and simulate trapping in racetrack and artificial crystal configurations. The trap may be used for ions or electrons, as a versatile container for quantum optics and quantum information experiments.
Trapped ions in Paul traps (radio frequency ion traps) are a promising candidate for the realization of a quantum computer. To date, experimental demonstrations of quantum computing and information processing with trapped ions have been limited to small numbers of quantum bits (qubits). The most prominent challenge to realise ion-trap quantum computation is to scale the system and control a large number of trapped ions coherently. Surface-electrode ion trap designs which are amenable to various microfabrication techniques offer a path to achieve this. In this work, design, fabrication and key operations of two types of surface-electrode ion traps, i.e. a Y-junction trap and a two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal lattice trap developed towards scaling ion-trap architectures, are presented. The steps involved in the fabrication of the ion-trap devices included photolithography, wet etch (hydrofluoric acid etch) and dry etch (deep reactive ion and inductively coupled plasma etching), and metal evaporation. The devices were fabricated on SOI substrates with different buried oxide thicknesses (i.e. 5 µm and 10 µm) and different metals for the trap electrodes (i.e. gold and aluminium). An extremely high-breakdown voltage up to 1 kV was measured in vacuum for the SOI-built test devices with a 10 µm-thick buried oxide formed by oxide film-to-oxide film bonding process. This is attributed to the deep V-shaped undercut profile of the buried oxide layer which resulted in a large breakdown path length, and so mitigating surface breakdown effects. Owing to the V-shaped undercut profile, the surface breakdown voltage was improved by 15% for the devices fabricated on SOI substrates with a 10 µm-thick buried oxide. In the first experiment, the demonstration of ytterbium (174Yb+) ion trapping in the 2D hexagonal lattice trap is achieved with a relatively long lifetime of a laser-cooled ion up to 90 minutes and ≤ 5 minutes without cooling in ultra-high vacuum system. The 2D lattice trap design allows for reliable trapping of 2D ion lattices, rudimentary shuttling between lattice sites and deterministic introducing of defects into the ion lattice. Based on all these abilities, such a 2D lattice trap with the predicted reduction of lattice spacing down to 32 µm can be configured as a versatile architecture for 2D quantum simulations with trapped ions. In the second experiment, microparticle trapping in the 2D lattice trap, performed in air, is achieved with the longest trapping lifetime of 60 minutes. Both gold and aluminium-coated electrodes also lead to comparable trapping performances. Furthermore, the in situ levitation of microparticles is successfully demonstrated at the maximum levitation height of 30 µm. This ability provides additional control on the trapping height which increases the overall functionality of the 2D lattice trap.
Trapped-ion quantum information processors are among the leading candidates to realise large-scale quantum computing. In trying to scale the number of confined ions in radio-frequency (rf) traps, several challenges arise due to the use of the rf fields. Ion placement is restricted to the vicinity of the rf null in order to minimise excess micromotion. Miniaturisation of trap geometries is desirable for increased ion density, but is at odds with the need to deliver high-voltage rf and tolerate the resulting power dissipation. We demonstrate a platform based on Penning traps, where ions are radially confined using a strong magnetic field. Static electric fields are then sufficient to provide confinement along the axis. We confine a single9Be + ion in a 3 T magnetic field using a micro-fabricated trap and realise transport to arbitrary positions above the trap chip. Furthermore, we show full quantum control of the spin and motion of the trapped ion. Ground state cooling of all motional modes is achieved and we measure the rate of motional heating due to electric field noise in the absence of an rf drive, obtaining noise levels below those observed in similar rf traps. Since only static fields are required for ion confinement, we can temporarily electrically isolate the trap electrodes from technical noise using switches, further reducing the observed electric field noise.
Abstract Trapped ions in radio-frequency traps are among the leading approaches for realizing quantum computers, because of high-fidelity quantum gates and long coherence times1–3. However, the use of radio-frequencies presents several challenges to scaling, including requiring compatibility of chips with high voltages4, managing power dissipation5 and restricting transport and placement of ions6. Here we realize a micro-fabricated Penning ion trap that removes these restrictions by replacing the radio-frequency field with a 3 T magnetic field. We demonstrate full quantum control of an ion in this setting, as well as the ability to transport the ion arbitrarily in the trapping plane above the chip. This unique feature of the Penning micro-trap approach opens up a modification of the quantum charge-coupled device architecture with improved connectivity and flexibility, facilitating the realization of large-scale trapped-ion quantum computing, quantum simulation and quantum sensing.
Large ion crystals in diverse geometries are a key resource for quantum simulation experiments. In this work, we introduce a macroscopic rf trap that supports a wide variety of one-dimensional ion configurations as well as lateral two-dimensional crystals with more than 100 ions. Our design is based on precision-machined fused silica wafers that are stacked to form the trap structure. Ten independently biased electrodes provide flexible control over the axial potential, enabling long one-dimensional crystals, isospaced ion strings, split-well chains, and two-dimensional arrays with tunable aspect ratios. We present the design and fabrication process for this trap and demonstrate the ability to tune the radial secular frequencies, detect and compensate micromotion, rotate the principal axes, and characterize trapped ion heating rates. All trap design and documentation files are freely available alongside this work, to facilitate adoption and further development within the ion trap community.
We discuss the potential of the Penning ion trap for quantum information processing. An ion plasma in a Penning trap rotates about the trap (or magnetic field) axis. We have demonstrated phase-locked control of this rotation by a rotating electric field perturbation (a “rotating wall”). This precise control enables the formation of planar arrays of ions that could potentially be used for quantum computation with the Cirac-Zoller scheme, mimicking a “hard disk” geometry. Current experiments with miniature rf traps observe significant heating and decoherence which is believed to be due to fluctuating patch fields on the trap electrodes. This heating should be several orders of magnitude less in the larger Penning trap.
Abstract Scaling trapped-ion quantum computing will require robust trapping of at least hundreds of ions over long periods, while increasing the complexity and functionality of the trap itself. Symmetric three-dimensional (3D) structures enable high trap depth, but microfabrication techniques are generally better suited to planar structures that produce less ideal conditions for trapping. We present an ion trap fabricated on stacked eight-inch wafers in a large-scale micro-electro-mechanical system microfabrication process that provides reproducible traps at a large volume. Electrodes are patterned on the surfaces of two opposing wafers bonded to a spacer, forming a 3D structure with 2.5 μm standard deviation in alignment across the stack. We implement a design achieving a trap depth of 1 eV for a 40Ca+ ion held at 200 μm from either electrode plane. We characterize traps, achieving measurement agreement with simulations to within ±5% for mode frequencies spanning 0.6–3.8 MHz, and evaluate stray electric field across multiple trapping sites. We measure motional heating rates over an extensive range of trap frequencies, and temperatures, observing 40 phonons/s at 1 MHz and 185 K. This fabrication method provides a highly scalable approach for producing a new generation of 3D ion traps.