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:1211.2931 · Physical Review A

Stability and dynamics of ion rings in linear multipole traps

Florian Cartarius, Cecilia Cormick, Giovanna Morigi

Published Jan 24, 2013• 16 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Trapped singly charged ions can crystallize as a result of laser cooling. The emerging structure depends on the number of particles and on the geometry of the trapping potential. In linear multipole radio frequency traps, the geometry of the radial potential can lead to the formation of single-ring structures. We analyze the conditions and stability of single rings as a function of the number of poles. The rings form tubes for a large number of ions and sufficiently small trap aspect ratios. In these structures the arrangement of the ions corresponds to a triangular lattice folded onto a cylinder. The stability of the tubular structures is numerically studied for different lattice constants and their normal-mode spectrum is determined.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.87.013425

Related papers

Structure and dynamics of ion clusters in linear octupole traps: Phase diagrams, chirality, and melting mechanisms

Ersin Yurtsever, E. Doruk Onal, F. Calvo

The stable structures and melting dynamics of clusters of identical ions bound by linear octupole radiofrequency traps are theoretically investigated by global optimization methods and molecular dynamics simulations. By varying the cluster sizes in the range of 10--1000 ions and the extent of trap anisotropy by more than one order of magnitude, we find a broad variety of stable structures based on multiple rings at small sizes evolving into tubular geometries at large sizes. The binding energy of these clusters is well represented by two contributions arising from isotropic linear and octupolar traps. The structures generally exhibit strong size effects, and chiral arrangements spontaneously emerge in many crystals. Sufficiently large clusters form nested, coaxial tubes with different thermal stabilities. As in isotropic octupolar clusters, the inner tubes melt at temperatures that are lower than the overall melting point.

Physical Review A•May 24, 2011•6 citations

Ion ring in a linear multipole trap for optical frequency metrology

C. Champenois, Mathieu Marciante, J. Pedregosa-Gutierrez +3 more

A ring crystal of ions trapped in a linear multipole trap is studied as the basis for an optical frequency standard. The equilibrium conditions and cooling possibilities are discussed through an analytical model and molecular dynamics simulations. A configuration is proposed that reduces the frequency sensitivity to the fluctuations of the number of trapped ions. The systematic shifts for the electric quadrupole transition of calcium ions are evaluated for this ring configuration. This study shows that a ring of 10 or 20 ions allows a better short-term stability to be reached than for a single ion without introducing limiting long-term fluctuations.

arXiv:1003.0763•Physical Review A•Apr 15, 2010•48 citations

Crystallization of Ca+ ions in a linear rf octupole ion trap

K. Okada, Kazuhiro Yasuda, Toshinobu Takayanagi +3 more

A laser-cooling experiment with ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$ ions trapped in a linear rf octupole ion trap is presented. The phase transition of the laser-cooled ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$ ions from the cloud to the crystal state is observed by an abrupt dip of the laser-induced fluorescence spectrum and indicates that mK temperatures are obtained. We have also performed molecular dynamics simulations under various conditions to confirm this property by deducing axially symmetric structures of Coulomb crystals and by evaluating the translational temperatures of the laser-cooled ions. The simulation results show that for small numbers of ions novel ring-shaped crystals are produced. As the number of ions is increased, cylindrical layers in the ring crystal are sequentially formed. For more than 100 ions, also hexagonal and spiral structures emerge in parts of the large-size ion crystal, which has a length on the order of millimeters for the present geometrical arrangement and voltages. An advantage of the linear rf octupole trap is its large almost-field-free region in the middle of the trap, where the micromotion amplitude is small for trapped ions. These results demonstrate that such a multipole trap has attractive features for quantum computing and ultracold ion-atom collision studies.

Physical Review A•Mar 22, 2007•52 citations

Parallel ion strings in linear multipole traps

Mathieu Marciante, C. Champenois, J. Pedregosa-Gutierrez +2 more

Additional radio-frequency (rf) potentials applied to linear multipole traps create extra field nodes in the radial plane which allow one to confine single ions, or strings of ions, in totally rf field-free regions. The number of nodes depends on the order of the applied multipole potentials and their relative distance can be easily tuned by the amplitude variation of the applied voltages. Simulations using molecular dynamics show that strings of ions can be laser cooled down to the Doppler limit in all directions of space. Once cooled, organized systems can be moved with very limited heating, even if the cooling process is turned off.

arXiv:1103.2502•Physical Review A•Feb 18, 2011•11 citations

A double ion trap for large Coulomb crystals

C. Champenois, J. Pedregosa-Gutierrez, Mathieu Marciante +3 more

While the linear radiofrequency trap finds various applications in high-precision spectroscopy and quantum information, its higher-order cousin, the linear multipole trap, is almost exclusively employed in physical chemistry. Recently, first experiments have shown interesting features by laser-cooling multipole-trapped ion clouds. Multipole traps show a flatter potential in their centre and therefore a modified density distribution compared to quadrupole traps. Micromotion is an important issue and will certainly influence the dynamics of crystallized ion structures. Our experiment tends to investigate possible crystallization processes in the multipole. In a more general way, we are interested in the study of the dynamics and thermodynamics of large ion clouds in traps of different geometry.

arXiv:1303.6389•AIP conference proceedings•Jan 1, 2013•6 citations

Crystalline ion structures in a Paul trap

M. Block, A. Drakoudis, H Leuthner +6 more

We have observed crystalline structures formed by laser cooled Ca + ions in a three-dimensional confining potential. The potential has been realized using a linear Paul trap with different ratios of potential strength in the axial and radial directions. For radial confining potentials stronger than the axial potential, we find linear structures with a continuous transition from strings to helices with decreasing potential asymmetry. When a quasi-two-dimensional potential is formed we observe ring structures with a given maximum ion number per ring which we followed up to 19. The observations are essentially in agreement with molecular dynamics calculations in static two-dimensional potentials.

Journal of Physics B Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics•May 16, 2000•52 citations
Trapped singly charged ions can crystallize as a result of laser cooling. The emerging structure depends on the number of particles and on the geometry of the trapping potential. In linear multipole radio frequency traps, the geometry of the radial potential can lead to the formation of single-ring structures. We analyze the conditions and stability of single rings as a function of the number of poles. The rings form tubes for a large number of ions and sufficiently small trap aspect ratios. In these structures the arrangement of the ions corresponds to a triangular lattice folded onto a cylinder. The stability of the tubular structures is numerically studied for different lattice constants and their normal-mode spectrum is determined.
The stable structures and melting dynamics of clusters of identical ions bound by linear octupole radiofrequency traps are theoretically investigated by global optimization methods and molecular dynamics simulations. By varying the cluster sizes in the range of 10--1000 ions and the extent of trap anisotropy by more than one order of magnitude, we find a broad variety of stable structures based on multiple rings at small sizes evolving into tubular geometries at large sizes. The binding energy of these clusters is well represented by two contributions arising from isotropic linear and octupolar traps. The structures generally exhibit strong size effects, and chiral arrangements spontaneously emerge in many crystals. Sufficiently large clusters form nested, coaxial tubes with different thermal stabilities. As in isotropic octupolar clusters, the inner tubes melt at temperatures that are lower than the overall melting point.
A ring crystal of ions trapped in a linear multipole trap is studied as the basis for an optical frequency standard. The equilibrium conditions and cooling possibilities are discussed through an analytical model and molecular dynamics simulations. A configuration is proposed that reduces the frequency sensitivity to the fluctuations of the number of trapped ions. The systematic shifts for the electric quadrupole transition of calcium ions are evaluated for this ring configuration. This study shows that a ring of 10 or 20 ions allows a better short-term stability to be reached than for a single ion without introducing limiting long-term fluctuations.
A laser-cooling experiment with Ca+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Ca+ ions trapped in a linear rf octupole ion trap is presented. The phase transition of the laser-cooled Ca+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Ca+ ions from the cloud to the crystal state is observed by an abrupt dip of the laser-induced fluorescence spectrum and indicates that mK temperatures are obtained. We have also performed molecular dynamics simulations under various conditions to confirm this property by deducing axially symmetric structures of Coulomb crystals and by evaluating the translational temperatures of the laser-cooled ions. The simulation results show that for small numbers of ions novel ring-shaped crystals are produced. As the number of ions is increased, cylindrical layers in the ring crystal are sequentially formed. For more than 100 ions, also hexagonal and spiral structures emerge in parts of the large-size ion crystal, which has a length on the order of millimeters for the present geometrical arrangement and voltages. An advantage of the linear rf octupole trap is its large almost-field-free region in the middle of the trap, where the micromotion amplitude is small for trapped ions. These results demonstrate that such a multipole trap has attractive features for quantum computing and ultracold ion-atom collision studies.
Additional radio-frequency (rf) potentials applied to linear multipole traps create extra field nodes in the radial plane which allow one to confine single ions, or strings of ions, in totally rf field-free regions. The number of nodes depends on the order of the applied multipole potentials and their relative distance can be easily tuned by the amplitude variation of the applied voltages. Simulations using molecular dynamics show that strings of ions can be laser cooled down to the Doppler limit in all directions of space. Once cooled, organized systems can be moved with very limited heating, even if the cooling process is turned off.
While the linear radiofrequency trap finds various applications in high-precision spectroscopy and quantum information, its higher-order cousin, the linear multipole trap, is almost exclusively employed in physical chemistry. Recently, first experiments have shown interesting features by laser-cooling multipole-trapped ion clouds. Multipole traps show a flatter potential in their centre and therefore a modified density distribution compared to quadrupole traps. Micromotion is an important issue and will certainly influence the dynamics of crystallized ion structures. Our experiment tends to investigate possible crystallization processes in the multipole. In a more general way, we are interested in the study of the dynamics and thermodynamics of large ion clouds in traps of different geometry.
We have observed crystalline structures formed by laser cooled Ca + ions in a three-dimensional confining potential. The potential has been realized using a linear Paul trap with different ratios of potential strength in the axial and radial directions. For radial confining potentials stronger than the axial potential, we find linear structures with a continuous transition from strings to helices with decreasing potential asymmetry. When a quasi-two-dimensional potential is formed we observe ring structures with a given maximum ion number per ring which we followed up to 19. The observations are essentially in agreement with molecular dynamics calculations in static two-dimensional potentials.