NIST physicists have developed a new ion trap that allows ions to pass through an intersection while maintaining their cool quantum properties. The trap, constructed from laser-machined alumina with a gold coating, features an X-shaped bridge connecting electrodes across a junction between trapping zones. This design enables smooth transport of ions through the junction while minimizing heating, which is critical for maintaining the fragile quantum properties necessary for information processing.
The new trap demonstrates successful transport of single beryllium ions over 1 million times and pairs of ions over 100,000 times, with greater than 99.99% success rate. The low heating achieved through careful control and reduced electrical noise minimizes computation errors and processing slowdowns. This development builds on NIST’s previous work on the basic building blocks for an ion-based quantum computer, bringing us closer to large-scale quantum information processing.
Source: https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2009/04/x-marks-spot-ions-coldly-go-through-nist-trap-junction
Keywords: Ion Trap, Quantum Computer, Ion Transport, Junction, Quantum Properties
