Simplified motional heating rate measurements of trapped ions

Published

September 19, 2007

Author(s)

Ryan Epstein, Signe Seidelin, Dietrich G. Leibfried, Janus Wesenberg, John J. Bollinger, Jason Amini, Brad R. Blakestad, Joseph W. Britton, Jonathan Home, Wayne M. Itano, John D. Jost, Emanuel H. Knill, C. Langer, R. Ozeri, Nobuyasu Shiga, David J. Wineland

Abstract

We measure motional heating rates of trapped atomic ions, a factor that influences multi-ion quantum logic gate fidelities. Two simplified techniques are developed for this purpose: one relies on Raman sideband detection implemented with a single laser source, while the second is even simpler and based on time-resolved fluorescence detection during Doppler recooling. We apply these methods to a microfrabricated surface-electrode trap, made of gold on fused quartz, which traps ions 40~$\mu$m above its surface. Heating rates obtained from the two techniques are found to be in reasonable agreement. In addition, the trap gives rise to a heating rate of $300\pm30$~quanta/s for a motional frequency of 5.25~MHz, substantially below the trend observed in other traps.

Citation

Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics)

Volume

76

Issue

033411

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

atom, cool, Doppler, heating, ion, rate, surface, trap

Citation

Epstein, R. , Seidelin, S. , Leibfried, D. , Wesenberg, J. , Bollinger, J. , Amini, J. , Blakestad, B. , Britton, J. , Home, J. , Itano, W. , Jost, J. , Knill, E. , Langer, C. , Ozeri, R. , Shiga, N. and Wineland, D. (2007), Simplified motional heating rate measurements of trapped ions, Physical Review A (Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics), [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=50576 (Accessed October 14, 2025)