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

Physical Review A

Trapped electrons in vacuum for a scalable quantum processor

Giacomo Ciaramicoli, Irene Marzoli, P. Tombesi

Published Sep 1, 2004• 28 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We describe in detail a theoretical scheme to trap and manipulate an arbitrary number of electrons in vacuum for universal quantum computation. The particles are confined in a linear array of Penning traps by means of a combination of static electric and magnetic fields. Two-electron operations are realized by controlling the Coulomb interaction between neighboring particles. The performances of such a device are evaluated in terms of clock speed, fidelity, and decoherence rates.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.70.032301

Related papers

Scalable Quantum Processor with Trapped Electrons

Giacomo Ciaramicoli, Irene Marzoli, P. Tombesi

A quantum computer can be implemented by trapping electrons in vacuum within an innovative confining structure. Universal processing is realized by controlling the Coulomb interaction and applying electromagnetic pulses. This system offers scalability, high clock speed, and low decoherence.

Physical Review Letters•Jun 30, 2003•69 citations

Scalable Arrays of Micro-Penning Traps for Quantum Computing and Simulation

Shreyans Jain, Joseba Alonso, Matt Grau +1 more

We propose the use of two-dimensional Penning trap arrays as a scalable platform for quantum simulation and quantum computing with trapped atomic ions. This approach involves placing arrays of microstructured electrodes defining static electric quadrupole sites in a magnetic field, with single ions trapped at each site and coupled to neighbors via the Coulomb interaction. We solve for the normal modes of ion motion in such arrays and derive a generalized multi-ion invariance theorem for stable motion even in the presence of trap imperfections. We use these techniques to investigate the feasibility of quantum simulation and quantum computation in fixed ion lattices. In homogeneous arrays, we show that sufficiently dense arrays are achievable, with axial, magnetron, and cyclotron motions exhibiting interion dipolar coupling with rates significantly higher than expected decoherence. With the addition of laser fields, these can realize tunable-range interacting spin Hamiltonians. We also show how local control of potentials allows isolation of small numbers of ions in a fixed array and can be used to implement high-fidelity gates. The use of static trapping fields means that our approach is not limited by power requirements as the system size increases, removing a major challenge for scaling which is present in standard radio-frequency traps. Thus, the architecture and methods provided here appear to open a path for trapped-ion quantum computing to reach fault-tolerant scale devices.

•Jan 1, 2020•23 citations

Scalable Ion Trap Architecture for Universal Quantum Computation by Collisions

Liang, Pengfei, Lingzhen Guo

We propose a scalable ion trap architecture for universal quantum computation, which is composed of an array of ion traps with one ion confined in each trap. The neighboring traps are designed capable of merging into one single trap. The universal two-qubit $\sqrt{SWAP}$ gate is realized by direct collision of two neighboring ions in the merged trap, which induces an effective spin-spin interaction between two ions. We find that the collision-induced spin-spin interaction decreases with the third power of two ions' trapping distance. Even with a $200\ μm$ trapping distance between atomic ions in Paul traps, it is still possible to realize a two-qubit gate operation with speed in $0.1\ kHz$ regime. The speed can be further increased up into $0.1\ MHz$ regime using electrons with $10\ mm$ trapping distance in Penning traps.

arXiv:1801.02593•Jan 8, 2018•2 citations

Scalable Arrays of Micro-Penning Traps for Quantum Computing and Simulation

S. Jain, Joseba Alonso, M. Grau +1 more

We propose the use of two-dimensional Penning trap arrays as a scalable platform for quantum simulation and quantum computing with trapped atomic ions.This approach involves placing arrays of microstructured electrodes defining static electric quadrupole sites in a magnetic field, with single ions trapped at each site and coupled to neighbors via the Coulomb interaction.We solve for the normal modes of ion motion in such arrays and derive a generalized multi-ion invariance theorem for stable motion even in the presence of trap imperfections.We use these techniques to investigate the feasibility of quantum simulation and quantum computation in fixed ion lattices.In homogeneous arrays, we show that sufficiently dense arrays are achievable, with axial, magnetron, and cyclotron motions exhibiting interion dipolar coupling with rates significantly higher than expected decoherence.With the addition of laser fields, these can realize tunable-range interacting spin Hamiltonians.We also show how local control of potentials allows isolation of small numbers of ions in a fixed array and can be used to implement highfidelity gates.The use of static trapping fields means that our approach is not limited by power requirements as the system size increases, removing a major challenge for scaling which is present in standard radio-frequency traps.Thus, the architecture and methods provided here appear to open a path for trapped-ion quantum computing to reach fault-tolerant scale devices.

arXiv:1812.06755•Physical Review X•Aug 5, 2020•30 citations

QIP with trapped electrons in vacuum

Paolo Tombesi, Irene Marzoli

By means of static electric and magnetic fields one can construct scalable traps able to confine many single electrons in vacuum. The ground state and the first excited state of the trapped electron's axial motion together with its spin states store the quantum bits. Selected radio wave or microwave pulses permit to perform any desired logic gate and to implement a fault-tolerant quantum computer.

•Jan 1, 2005•0 citations

Scalable Quantum Computing with Trapped Electrons in a Planar Penning Trap

Sugam Kumar

Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems far beyond the reach of classical computers by using the principles of superposition and entanglement. However, existing platforms face challenges such as short coherence times, interference from the environment, and difficulties in scaling up.Trapped electrons in a planar Penning trap offer a promising alternative. Unlike other qubits, electrons do not interact with nuclear spins, which helps maintain quantum states for much longer. Additionally, their strong confinement allows for fast and precise quantum operations. In our approach, electron spins serve as logical qubits, while their motional states are used for entanglement. Our setup consists of 2-dimensional array of micro-sized Penning traps fabricated on a ceramic chip, placed inside a 1T superconducting magnet and cooled in a dilution refrigerator to reach millikelvin temperatures. This extreme cooling reduces unwanted motion and makes it possible to entangle electron spins and perform quantum gates with high accuracy. At Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India, we are developing a prototype planar Penning trap. This new system offers a stable, scalable, and high-coherence platform for quantum computing.

Journal of Material Sciences & Manfacturing Research•Oct 30, 2025•0 citations
We describe in detail a theoretical scheme to trap and manipulate an arbitrary number of electrons in vacuum for universal quantum computation. The particles are confined in a linear array of Penning traps by means of a combination of static electric and magnetic fields. Two-electron operations are realized by controlling the Coulomb interaction between neighboring particles. The performances of such a device are evaluated in terms of clock speed, fidelity, and decoherence rates.
We propose the use of two-dimensional Penning trap arrays as a scalable platform for quantum simulation and quantum computing with trapped atomic ions. This approach involves placing arrays of microstructured electrodes defining static electric quadrupole sites in a magnetic field, with single ions trapped at each site and coupled to neighbors via the Coulomb interaction. We solve for the normal modes of ion motion in such arrays and derive a generalized multi-ion invariance theorem for stable motion even in the presence of trap imperfections. We use these techniques to investigate the feasibility of quantum simulation and quantum computation in fixed ion lattices. In homogeneous arrays, we show that sufficiently dense arrays are achievable, with axial, magnetron, and cyclotron motions exhibiting interion dipolar coupling with rates significantly higher than expected decoherence. With the addition of laser fields, these can realize tunable-range interacting spin Hamiltonians. We also show how local control of potentials allows isolation of small numbers of ions in a fixed array and can be used to implement high-fidelity gates. The use of static trapping fields means that our approach is not limited by power requirements as the system size increases, removing a major challenge for scaling which is present in standard radio-frequency traps. Thus, the architecture and methods provided here appear to open a path for trapped-ion quantum computing to reach fault-tolerant scale devices.
We propose a scalable ion trap architecture for universal quantum computation, which is composed of an array of ion traps with one ion confined in each trap. The neighboring traps are designed capable of merging into one single trap. The universal two-qubit SWAP\sqrt{SWAP}SWAP​ gate is realized by direct collision of two neighboring ions in the merged trap, which induces an effective spin-spin interaction between two ions. We find that the collision-induced spin-spin interaction decreases with the third power of two ions' trapping distance. Even with a 200 μm200\ μm200 μm trapping distance between atomic ions in Paul traps, it is still possible to realize a two-qubit gate operation with speed in 0.1 kHz0.1\ kHz0.1 kHz regime. The speed can be further increased up into 0.1 MHz0.1\ MHz0.1 MHz regime using electrons with 10 mm10\ mm10 mm trapping distance in Penning traps.
We propose the use of two-dimensional Penning trap arrays as a scalable platform for quantum simulation and quantum computing with trapped atomic ions.This approach involves placing arrays of microstructured electrodes defining static electric quadrupole sites in a magnetic field, with single ions trapped at each site and coupled to neighbors via the Coulomb interaction.We solve for the normal modes of ion motion in such arrays and derive a generalized multi-ion invariance theorem for stable motion even in the presence of trap imperfections.We use these techniques to investigate the feasibility of quantum simulation and quantum computation in fixed ion lattices.In homogeneous arrays, we show that sufficiently dense arrays are achievable, with axial, magnetron, and cyclotron motions exhibiting interion dipolar coupling with rates significantly higher than expected decoherence.With the addition of laser fields, these can realize tunable-range interacting spin Hamiltonians.We also show how local control of potentials allows isolation of small numbers of ions in a fixed array and can be used to implement highfidelity gates.The use of static trapping fields means that our approach is not limited by power requirements as the system size increases, removing a major challenge for scaling which is present in standard radio-frequency traps.Thus, the architecture and methods provided here appear to open a path for trapped-ion quantum computing to reach fault-tolerant scale devices.
Quantum computers have the potential to solve problems far beyond the reach of classical computers by using the principles of superposition and entanglement. However, existing platforms face challenges such as short coherence times, interference from the environment, and difficulties in scaling up.Trapped electrons in a planar Penning trap offer a promising alternative. Unlike other qubits, electrons do not interact with nuclear spins, which helps maintain quantum states for much longer. Additionally, their strong confinement allows for fast and precise quantum operations. In our approach, electron spins serve as logical qubits, while their motional states are used for entanglement. Our setup consists of 2-dimensional array of micro-sized Penning traps fabricated on a ceramic chip, placed inside a 1T superconducting magnet and cooled in a dilution refrigerator to reach millikelvin temperatures. This extreme cooling reduces unwanted motion and makes it possible to entangle electron spins and perform quantum gates with high accuracy. At Inter-University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India, we are developing a prototype planar Penning trap. This new system offers a stable, scalable, and high-coherence platform for quantum computing.