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:2301.00559

Characterizing the spatial potential of a surface electrode ion trap

Qingqing Qin, Ting Chen, Xinfang Zhang, Bao-Quan Ou, Zhang, Jie, Chun-Wang Wu, Yi Xie, Wei Wu, Ping‐Xing Chen

Published Jan 2, 2023• 0 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

The accurate characterization of the spatial potential generated by a planar electrode in a surface-type Paul trap is of great interest. To achieve this, we employ a simple yet highly precise parametric expression to describe the spatial field of a rectangular-shaped electrode. Based on this, an optimization method is introduced to precisely characterize the axial electric field intensity created by the powered electrode and the stray field. In contrast to existing methods, various types of experimental data, such as the equilibrium position of ions in a linear string, equilibrium positions of single trapped ions and trap frequencies, are utilized for potential estimation in order to mitigate systematic errors. This approach offers significant flexibility in voltage settings for data collection, making it particularly well-suited for surface electrode traps where ion probe trapping height may vary with casual voltage settings. In our demonstration, we successfully minimized the discrepancy between experimental observations and model predictions to an impressive extent. The relative errors of secular frequencies were suppressed within $\pm$ 0.5$\%$, and the positional error of ions was limited to less than 1.2 $μ$m, all surpassing those achieved by existing methodologies.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.2301.00559

Related papers

Characterizing the spatial potential of an ion trap chip

Qingqing Qin, Ting Chen, Xinfang Zhang +6 more

The accurate characterization of the spatial electric field generated by electrodes in a surface electrode trap is of paramount importance. In this pursuit, we have identified a simple yet highly precise parametric expression to describe the spatial field of a rectangular-shaped electrode. Leveraging this expression, we introduced an optimization method designed to accurately characterize the axial electric field intensity produced by the powered electrode and the stray field. Distinct from the existing methods, our approach integrates a diverse array of experimental data, including the equilibrium positions of ions in a linear string, the equilibrium positions of single trapped ions, and trap frequencies, to effectively reduce the systematic errors. This approach provides considerable flexibility in voltage settings for data acquisition, making it especially advantageous for surface electrode traps where the trapping height of ion probes may vary with casual voltage settings. In our experimental demonstration, we successfully minimized the discrepancy between observations and model predictions to a remarkable degree. The relative errors of secular frequencies were contained within ±0.5%, and the positional error of ions was constrained to less than 1.2 μm, which surpasses the performance of current methodologies.

Chip•Jan 1, 2025•4 citations

Creating equally spaced linear ion string in a surface-electrode trap by feedback control

Yi Xie, Xinfang Zhang, Bao-Quan Ou +5 more

A feedback control method for producing an equidistant ion string in a surface-electrode ion trap has been experimentally demonstrated. This method features three advantages: (i) The optimal voltage can be constrained within the specified reachable range. (ii) The height of trapped ions from the trap surface can be maintained at the same value when strings with different number of ions or with different ion spacings are to be trapped. (iii) This method is resistant to a stray electric field near the trap. By this method, the asymmetry of the ion string caused by a stray field is minimized. The robustness of trapping a variable number of ions at the same potential and the dependency of the axial frequency on the number of ions are also investigated experimentally. This work would be a practical method to create a linear ion string with a large number of ions and may find applications in large-scale quantum computing, quantum simulation, and phase transition studies utilizing homogeneous ion strings.

Physical Review A•Mar 31, 2017•17 citations

Method for Estimating Locations of Laser-Induced Stray Charges on Surface-Electrode Ion Traps Using Secular Frequency Shift at Multiple Ion Positions

Changhyun Jung, Junho Jeong, Seungwoo Yoo +2 more

This paper develops a method for estimating the locations of laser-induced stray charges on surface-electrode ion traps. How the electric potential at the trapped-ion location changes in the presence of laser-induced stray charges is theoretically modeled, and the magnitude of the shift in the secular frequency of a trapped ion is derived from the model. This model can be used inversely to find the locations of stray charges from the secular frequency shift under certain conditions. Typically, this inverse relationship is not unique. However, in surface-electrode ion traps, the secular frequency shift caused by the stray charges can be measured at multiple ion positions, and therefore, the required number of secular-frequency-shift measurements can be performed to determine the stray-charge locations uniquely. This model is experimentally evaluated by intentionally producing electric charges at a single location by irradiating a laser onto that spot and by measuring the resulting secular frequency shift. The location of produced charges is estimated from the measured result, and the estimated location is consistent with where the laser is irradiating. The developed method can be applied to characterize the laser-induced stray charges, which in turn can be used to design experiments to avoid or reduce the occurrence of stray charges.

Physical Review Applied•Jul 17, 2023•2 citations

Ion-trajectory analysis for micromotion minimization and the measurement of small forces

Timm F. Gloger, Peter Kaufmann, Delia Kaufmann +4 more

For experiments with ions confined in a Paul trap, minimization of micromotion is often essential. In order to diagnose and compensate micromotion we have implemented a method that allows for finding the position of the radio-frequency (rf) null reliably and efficiently, in principle, without any variation of direct current (dc) voltages. We apply a trap modulation technique and focus-scanning imaging to extract three-dimensional ion positions for various rf drive powers and analyze the power dependence of the equilibrium position of the trapped ion. In contrast to commonly used methods, the search algorithm directly makes use of a physical effect as opposed to efficient numerical minimization in a high-dimensional parameter space. Using this method we achieve a compensation of the residual electric field that causes excess micromotion in the radial plane of a linear Paul trap down to $0.09\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\text{V}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\text{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Additionally, the precise position determination of a single harmonically trapped ion employed here can also be utilized for the detection of small forces. This is demonstrated by determining light pressure forces with a precision of 135 yN. As the method is based on imaging only, it can be applied to several ions simultaneously and is independent of laser direction and thus well suited to be used with, for example, surface-electrode traps.

arXiv:1503.07031•Physical Review A•Oct 27, 2015•39 citations

Surface-electrode point Paul trap

Isaac L. Chuang, Tony Hyun Kim, Peter F. Herskind +2 more

We present a model as well as experimental results for a surface electrode radiofrequency Paul trap that has a circular electrode geometry well suited for trapping single ions and two-dimensional planar ion crystals. The trap design is compatible with microfabrication and offers a simple method by which the height of the trapped ions above the surface may be changed in situ. We demonstrate trapping of single [superscript 88]Sr[superscript +] ions over an ion height range of 200-1000 mu m for several hours under Doppler laser cooling and use these to characterize the trap, finding good agreement with our model.

APS•Oct 1, 2010•0 citations

Surface-electrode point Paul trap

Tony Hyun Kim, Peter F. Herskind, Taehyun Kim +2 more

We present a model as well as experimental results for a surface electrode radiofrequency Paul trap that has a circular electrode geometry well suited for trapping single ions and two-dimensional planar ion crystals. The trap design is compatible with microfabrication and offers a simple method by which the height of the trapped ions above the surface may be changed in situ. We demonstrate trapping of single $^{88}\mathrm{Sr}$${}^{+}$ ions over an ion height range of $200\ensuremath{-}1000$ $\ensuremath{\mu}$m for several hours under Doppler laser cooling and use these to characterize the trap, finding good agreement with our model.

arXiv:1008.1603•Physical Review A•Oct 12, 2010•38 citations
The accurate characterization of the spatial potential generated by a planar electrode in a surface-type Paul trap is of great interest. To achieve this, we employ a simple yet highly precise parametric expression to describe the spatial field of a rectangular-shaped electrode. Based on this, an optimization method is introduced to precisely characterize the axial electric field intensity created by the powered electrode and the stray field. In contrast to existing methods, various types of experimental data, such as the equilibrium position of ions in a linear string, equilibrium positions of single trapped ions and trap frequencies, are utilized for potential estimation in order to mitigate systematic errors. This approach offers significant flexibility in voltage settings for data collection, making it particularly well-suited for surface electrode traps where ion probe trapping height may vary with casual voltage settings. In our demonstration, we successfully minimized the discrepancy between experimental observations and model predictions to an impressive extent. The relative errors of secular frequencies were suppressed within ±\pm± 0.5%\%%, and the positional error of ions was limited to less than 1.2 μμμm, all surpassing those achieved by existing methodologies.
The accurate characterization of the spatial electric field generated by electrodes in a surface electrode trap is of paramount importance. In this pursuit, we have identified a simple yet highly precise parametric expression to describe the spatial field of a rectangular-shaped electrode. Leveraging this expression, we introduced an optimization method designed to accurately characterize the axial electric field intensity produced by the powered electrode and the stray field. Distinct from the existing methods, our approach integrates a diverse array of experimental data, including the equilibrium positions of ions in a linear string, the equilibrium positions of single trapped ions, and trap frequencies, to effectively reduce the systematic errors. This approach provides considerable flexibility in voltage settings for data acquisition, making it especially advantageous for surface electrode traps where the trapping height of ion probes may vary with casual voltage settings. In our experimental demonstration, we successfully minimized the discrepancy between observations and model predictions to a remarkable degree. The relative errors of secular frequencies were contained within ±0.5%, and the positional error of ions was constrained to less than 1.2 μm, which surpasses the performance of current methodologies.
A feedback control method for producing an equidistant ion string in a surface-electrode ion trap has been experimentally demonstrated. This method features three advantages: (i) The optimal voltage can be constrained within the specified reachable range. (ii) The height of trapped ions from the trap surface can be maintained at the same value when strings with different number of ions or with different ion spacings are to be trapped. (iii) This method is resistant to a stray electric field near the trap. By this method, the asymmetry of the ion string caused by a stray field is minimized. The robustness of trapping a variable number of ions at the same potential and the dependency of the axial frequency on the number of ions are also investigated experimentally. This work would be a practical method to create a linear ion string with a large number of ions and may find applications in large-scale quantum computing, quantum simulation, and phase transition studies utilizing homogeneous ion strings.
This paper develops a method for estimating the locations of laser-induced stray charges on surface-electrode ion traps. How the electric potential at the trapped-ion location changes in the presence of laser-induced stray charges is theoretically modeled, and the magnitude of the shift in the secular frequency of a trapped ion is derived from the model. This model can be used inversely to find the locations of stray charges from the secular frequency shift under certain conditions. Typically, this inverse relationship is not unique. However, in surface-electrode ion traps, the secular frequency shift caused by the stray charges can be measured at multiple ion positions, and therefore, the required number of secular-frequency-shift measurements can be performed to determine the stray-charge locations uniquely. This model is experimentally evaluated by intentionally producing electric charges at a single location by irradiating a laser onto that spot and by measuring the resulting secular frequency shift. The location of produced charges is estimated from the measured result, and the estimated location is consistent with where the laser is irradiating. The developed method can be applied to characterize the laser-induced stray charges, which in turn can be used to design experiments to avoid or reduce the occurrence of stray charges.
For experiments with ions confined in a Paul trap, minimization of micromotion is often essential. In order to diagnose and compensate micromotion we have implemented a method that allows for finding the position of the radio-frequency (rf) null reliably and efficiently, in principle, without any variation of direct current (dc) voltages. We apply a trap modulation technique and focus-scanning imaging to extract three-dimensional ion positions for various rf drive powers and analyze the power dependence of the equilibrium position of the trapped ion. In contrast to commonly used methods, the search algorithm directly makes use of a physical effect as opposed to efficient numerical minimization in a high-dimensional parameter space. Using this method we achieve a compensation of the residual electric field that causes excess micromotion in the radial plane of a linear Paul trap down to $0.09\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}\text{V}\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}{\text{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. Additionally, the precise position determination of a single harmonically trapped ion employed here can also be utilized for the detection of small forces. This is demonstrated by determining light pressure forces with a precision of 135 yN. As the method is based on imaging only, it can be applied to several ions simultaneously and is independent of laser direction and thus well suited to be used with, for example, surface-electrode traps.
We present a model as well as experimental results for a surface electrode radiofrequency Paul trap that has a circular electrode geometry well suited for trapping single ions and two-dimensional planar ion crystals. The trap design is compatible with microfabrication and offers a simple method by which the height of the trapped ions above the surface may be changed in situ. We demonstrate trapping of single [superscript 88]Sr[superscript +] ions over an ion height range of 200-1000 mu m for several hours under Doppler laser cooling and use these to characterize the trap, finding good agreement with our model.
We present a model as well as experimental results for a surface electrode radiofrequency Paul trap that has a circular electrode geometry well suited for trapping single ions and two-dimensional planar ion crystals. The trap design is compatible with microfabrication and offers a simple method by which the height of the trapped ions above the surface may be changed in situ. We demonstrate trapping of single 88Sr^{88}\mathrm{Sr}88Sr+{}^{+}+ ions over an ion height range of $200\ensuremath{-}1000$ $\ensuremath{\mu}$m for several hours under Doppler laser cooling and use these to characterize the trap, finding good agreement with our model.