Experimental and theoretical investigations of radio-frequency and optical trapping potentials for atomic ions

Abstract

Over the years, trapped ion have emerged as one of the premier candidates for universal quantum simulation due to its long coherence time, low initialization and detection errors, robust high-fidelity gate sets and fully connected yet tunable spin-graph. In this thesis we exclusively focus on the generation of the trapping potential in a four-rod trap, one of the most commonly studied ion-trapping architecture. We elaborate the fabrication of the trapping electrodes using electro-etching techniques and explore the underlying mechanism in details. We discuss how these electrodes are powered by DC and RF field to generate the confining potential responsible for trapping the ions of interest in 3D. We conclude by studying how this trapping potential can be modified by external means like using an optical tweezer. Employing such an optical tweezer we propose a new quantum-thermodynamic protocol which shall allow us to experimentally access the thermal properties of a mixed specie ion chain using a single-specie ion chain. The scheme is based on Jarynski's equality and obviates the need to trap dual-ionic species as far as illustrating the mechanical properties of the chain are concerned. We present results ratifying the utility of the proposal. The scheme is useful to obtain mode-specific thermal properties hitherto unexplored experimentally.