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arXiv:1506.05958 · Physical Review Letters

Rydberg Excitation of a Single Trapped Ion

Thomas Feldker, P. Bachor, Matthias Stappel, Daniel Kolbe, R. Gerritsma, J. Walz, Ferdinand Schmidt‐Kaler

Published Oct 19, 2015• 48 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We demonstrate excitation of a single trapped cold (40)Ca(+) ion to Rydberg levels by laser radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet at a wavelength of 122 nm. Observed resonances are identified as 3d(2)D(3/2) to 51F, 52F and 3d(2)D(5/2) to 64F. We model the line shape and our results imply a large state-dependent coupling to the trapping potential. Rydberg ions are of great interest for future applications in quantum computing and simulation, in which large dipolar interactions are combined with the superb experimental control offered by Paul traps.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.115.173001

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Abstract We demonstrate the excitation of ions to the Rydberg state 22 F by vacuum ultraviolet radiation at a wavelength of 123 nm combined with the coherent manipulation of the optical qubit transition in 40 Ca + . With a tightly focused beam at 729 nm wavelength we coherently excite a single ion from a linear string into the metastable 3 D 5 / 2 state before a VUV pulse excites it to the Rydberg state. In combination with ion shuttling in the trap, we extend this approach to the addressed excitation of multiple ions. The coherent initialization as well as the addressed Rydberg excitation are key prerequisites for more complex applications of Rydberg ions in quantum simulation or quantum information processing.

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Trapped Rydberg ions are a novel approach for quantum information processing [1,2]. This idea joins the advanced quantum control of trapped ions with the strong dipolar interaction between Rydberg atoms. For trapped ions this method promises to speed up entangling interactions [3] and to enable such operations in larger ion crystals [4]. We report on the first experimental realization of trapped strontium Rydberg ions. A single ion was confined in a linear Paul trap and excited to Rydberg states (25S to 37S) using a two-photon excitation with 243nm and 308nm laser light. The transitions we observed are narrow and the excitation can be performed repeatedly which indicates that the Rydberg ions are stable in the ion trap. Similar results have been recently reported on a single photon Rydberg excitation of trapped calcium ions [5]. The tunability of the 304-309nm laser should enable us to excite our strontium ions to even higher Rydberg levels. Such highly excited levels are required to achieve a strong interaction between neighboring Rydberg ions in the trap as will be required for quantum gates using the Rydberg interaction. References [1] M. Müller, L. Liang, I. Lesanovsky, P. Zoller, New J. Phys. 10, 093009 (2008). [2] F. Schmidt-Kaler, et al., New J. Phys. 13, 075014 (2011). [3] W. Li, I. Lesanovsky, Appl. Phys. B 114, 37-44 (2014). [4] W. Li, A.W. Glaetzle, R. Nath, I. Lesanovsky, Phys. Rev. A 87, 052304 (2013). [5] T. Feldker, et al., arXiv:1506.05958

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Abstract We present a method for measuring the polarizability of Rydberg ions confined in the harmonic potential of a Paul trap. For a highly excited electronic state, the coupling between the electronic wave function and the trapping field modifies the excitation spectra depending on the motional state of the ion. This interaction strongly depends on the polarizability of the excited state and manifests itself in the state-dependent secular frequencies of the ion. We initialize a single trapped 40 Ca + ion from the motional ground state into coherent states with | α | up to 12 using electric voltages on the trap segments. The internal state, firstly initialised in the long-lived 3D 5 / 2 state, is excited to a Rydberg S 1 / 2 -state via the 5P 3 / 2 state in a two-photon process. We probe the depletion of the 3D 5 / 2 state owing to the Rydberg excitation followed by a decay into the internal ground 4S 1 / 2 state. By analysing the obtained spectra we extract the polarizability of Rydberg states which agree with numerical calculations. The method is applicable to different Rydberg states regardless of their principal or angular quantum numbers. An accurate value of the state polarizability is needed for quantum gate operations with Rydberg ion crystals.

New Journal of Physics•Feb 24, 2023•5 citations
We demonstrate excitation of a single trapped cold (40)Ca(+) ion to Rydberg levels by laser radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet at a wavelength of 122 nm. Observed resonances are identified as 3d(2)D(3/2) to 51F, 52F and 3d(2)D(5/2) to 64F. We model the line shape and our results imply a large state-dependent coupling to the trapping potential. Rydberg ions are of great interest for future applications in quantum computing and simulation, in which large dipolar interactions are combined with the superb experimental control offered by Paul traps.
Abstract We demonstrate the excitation of ions to the Rydberg state 22 F by vacuum ultraviolet radiation at a wavelength of 123 nm combined with the coherent manipulation of the optical qubit transition in 40 Ca + . With a tightly focused beam at 729 nm wavelength we coherently excite a single ion from a linear string into the metastable 3 D 5 / 2 state before a VUV pulse excites it to the Rydberg state. In combination with ion shuttling in the trap, we extend this approach to the addressed excitation of multiple ions. The coherent initialization as well as the addressed Rydberg excitation are key prerequisites for more complex applications of Rydberg ions in quantum simulation or quantum information processing.
Trapped Rydberg ions are a novel approach for quantum information processing [1,2]. This idea joins the advanced quantum control of trapped ions with the strong dipolar interaction between Rydberg atoms. For trapped ions this method promises to speed up entangling interactions [3] and to enable such operations in larger ion crystals [4]. We report on the first experimental realization of trapped strontium Rydberg ions. A single ion was confined in a linear Paul trap and excited to Rydberg states (25S to 37S) using a two-photon excitation with 243nm and 308nm laser light. The transitions we observed are narrow and the excitation can be performed repeatedly which indicates that the Rydberg ions are stable in the ion trap. Similar results have been recently reported on a single photon Rydberg excitation of trapped calcium ions [5]. The tunability of the 304-309nm laser should enable us to excite our strontium ions to even higher Rydberg levels. Such highly excited levels are required to achieve a strong interaction between neighboring Rydberg ions in the trap as will be required for quantum gates using the Rydberg interaction. References [1] M. Müller, L. Liang, I. Lesanovsky, P. Zoller, New J. Phys. 10, 093009 (2008). [2] F. Schmidt-Kaler, et al., New J. Phys. 13, 075014 (2011). [3] W. Li, I. Lesanovsky, Appl. Phys. B 114, 37-44 (2014). [4] W. Li, A.W. Glaetzle, R. Nath, I. Lesanovsky, Phys. Rev. A 87, 052304 (2013). [5] T. Feldker, et al., arXiv:1506.05958
We compute the Rydberg spectrum of a single Ca+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Ca+ ion in a Paul trap by incorporating various internal and external coupling terms of the ion to the trap in the Hamiltonian. The coupling terms include spin-orbit coupling in Ca+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}Ca+, charge (electron and ionic core) coupling to the radio frequency and static fields, ion-electron coupling in the Paul trap, and ion center-of-mass coupling. The electronic Rydberg states are precisely described by a one-electron model potential for ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}}+{\mathrm{Ca}}^{2+}$, and accurate eigenenergies, quantum defect parameters, and static and tensor polarizabilities for a number of excited Rydberg states are obtained. The time-periodic rf Hamiltonian is expanded in the Floquet basis, and the trapping-field-broadened Rydberg lines are compared with recent observations of Ca+(23P){\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}(23P)Ca+(23P) and Ca+(52F){\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}(52F)Ca+(52F) Rydberg lines.
Summary form only given. Trapped Rydberg ions are a promising new approach to quantum information processing [1, 2]. This idea combines qubit encoding in the ions' ground states with entanglement operations via the Rydberg interaction. It promises to speed up entanglement operations and make them available in larger ion crystals.In this presentation, we will report on our experimental results with trapped strontium Rydberg ions. In particular, we have recently mapped the population from ground to the 42S1/2Rydberg state and back using stimulated Raman adiabatic passage (STIRAP) [3] - to our knowledge the first observed coherently manipulated Rydberg excitation of an ion. Moreover, we will present our observation of fundamental trap effects due to the interaction of the Rydberg ion with the electric trapping field [4]. A solid understanding of these effects is essential for future applications in quantum information processing.In the near future, we plan to excite the ions to even higher Rydberg states and to apply microwave radiation to induce large oscillating dipole moments. In this way, ions should be able to interact at a distance as required for quantum gates via the Rydberg interaction.
Trapped Rydberg ions are a promising new system for quantum information processing. They have the potential to join the precise quantum operations of trapped ions and the strong, long-range interactions between Rydberg atoms. Combining the two systems is not at all straightforward. Rydberg atoms are severely affected by electric fields which may cause Stark shifts and field ionization, while electric fields are used to trap ions. Thus, a thorough understanding of the physical properties of Rydberg ions due to the trapping electric fields is essential for future applications. Here we report the observation of two fundamental trap effects. First, we investigate the interaction of the Rydberg electron with the trapping electric quadrupole fields which leads to Floquet sidebands in the excitation spectra. Second, we report on the modified trapping potential in the Rydberg state compared to the ground state which results from the strong polarizability of the Rydberg ion. By controlling both effects we observe resonance lines close to their natural linewidth demonstrating an unprecedented level of control of this novel quantum platform.
Abstract We present a method for measuring the polarizability of Rydberg ions confined in the harmonic potential of a Paul trap. For a highly excited electronic state, the coupling between the electronic wave function and the trapping field modifies the excitation spectra depending on the motional state of the ion. This interaction strongly depends on the polarizability of the excited state and manifests itself in the state-dependent secular frequencies of the ion. We initialize a single trapped 40 Ca + ion from the motional ground state into coherent states with | α | up to 12 using electric voltages on the trap segments. The internal state, firstly initialised in the long-lived 3D 5 / 2 state, is excited to a Rydberg S 1 / 2 -state via the 5P 3 / 2 state in a two-photon process. We probe the depletion of the 3D 5 / 2 state owing to the Rydberg excitation followed by a decay into the internal ground 4S 1 / 2 state. By analysing the obtained spectra we extract the polarizability of Rydberg states which agree with numerical calculations. The method is applicable to different Rydberg states regardless of their principal or angular quantum numbers. An accurate value of the state polarizability is needed for quantum gate operations with Rydberg ion crystals.