Single- and Multispecies ion coulomb crystals in linear Paul traps

We investigate the coupling between motional resonances of translationally cold ( $10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}$ range) atomic and molecular ions in multispecies Coulomb crystals, stored in a linear Paul trap. The atomic and molecular ions were sympathetically cooled by laser-cooled ${\mathrm{Be}}^{+}$ ions. The motional resonances of the different ion species were determined nondestructively with high mass-to-charge resolution upon excitation with an oscillating electric field. The experimental results show good agreement with results from molecular dynamics simulations and allow for a precise identification of sympathetically cooled particles in multispecies ion crystals.We investigate the coupling between motional resonances of translationally cold ($10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}$ range) atomic and molecular ions in multispecies Coulomb crystals, stored in a linear Paul trap. The atomic and molecular ions were sympathetically cooled by laser-cooled ${\mathrm{Be}}^{+}$ ions. The motional resonances of the different ion species were determined nondestructively with high mass-to-charge resolution upon excitation with an oscillating electric field. The experimental results show good agreement with results from molecular dynamics simulations and allow for a precise identification of sympathetically cooled particles in multispecies ion crystals.

Physical Review AFeb 1, 200750 citations

Sympathetic Crystallization of Trapped Ions

Paul David Bowe, Liv Hornekær, Christina Brodersen +3 more

We have created multispecies Coulomb crystals in a linear Paul trap containing up to a few hundred ions of which more than $50%$ were cooled only sympathetically through the Coulomb interaction with laser-cooled ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{+}$ ions. In an extreme case, one laser-cooled ion maintained order in a 15 ion string. Ion species segregation was obtained by radiation pressure. Previous experiments and molecular dynamics simulations suggest the temperature is 10 mK or lower. These results indicate that a wide range of atomic and molecular ions can be cooled and localized in linear Paul traps which is important for improvements in spectroscopic studies of such ions.We have created multispecies Coulomb crystals in a linear Paul trap containing up to a few hundred ions of which more than $50%$ were cooled only sympathetically through the Coulomb interaction with laser-cooled ${\mathrm{Mg}}^{+}$ ions. In an extreme case, one laser-cooled ion maintained order in a 15 ion string. Ion species segregation was obtained by radiation pressure. Previous experiments and molecular dynamics simulations suggest the temperature is 10 mK or lower. These results indicate that a wide range of atomic and molecular ions can be cooled and localized in linear Paul traps which is important for improvements in spectroscopic studies of such ions.

Physical Review LettersMar 8, 199983 citations

We investigate the coupling between motional resonances of translationally cold (

10\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}

range) atomic and molecular ions in multispecies Coulomb crystals, stored in a linear Paul trap. The atomic and molecular ions were sympathetically cooled by laser-cooled

{\mathrm{Be}}^{+}

ions. The motional resonances of the different ion species were determined nondestructively with high mass-to-charge resolution upon excitation with an oscillating electric field. The experimental results show good agreement with results from molecular dynamics simulations and allow for a precise identification of sympathetically cooled particles in multispecies ion crystals.

We have created multispecies Coulomb crystals in a linear Paul trap containing up to a few hundred ions of which more than

50%

were cooled only sympathetically through the Coulomb interaction with laser-cooled

{\mathrm{Mg}}^{+}

ions. In an extreme case, one laser-cooled ion maintained order in a 15 ion string. Ion species segregation was obtained by radiation pressure. Previous experiments and molecular dynamics simulations suggest the temperature is 10 mK or lower. These results indicate that a wide range of atomic and molecular ions can be cooled and localized in linear Paul traps which is important for improvements in spectroscopic studies of such ions.