A monolithic array of three-dimensional ion traps fabricated with conventional semiconductor technology

Area of Science:

• Quantum Information Science
• Atomic, Molecular, and Optical (AMO) Physics
• Quantum Computing Hardware

Background:

• Coherent control of entangled trapped ions is crucial for quantum information, simulation, and metrology.
• Current ion-trap approaches are limited to 14 qubits, necessitating scalable solutions for advanced quantum applications.
• Existing 3D ion trap designs face scalability challenges, hindering the development of larger qubit arrays.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a scalable monolithic three-dimensional (3D) ion microtrap array.
• To demonstrate the feasibility of trapping multiple ions in a single segment of the 3D array.
• To assess the performance of the microtrap array for potential quantum information processing applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of a monolithic 3D ion microtrap array using conventional semiconductor techniques on a silica-on-silicon wafer.
• Confinement of individual 88Sr+ ions and strings of up to 14 ions within a single trap segment.
• Characterization of ion motional frequencies, heating rates, and storage times within the microtrap array.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication and operation of a monolithic 3D ion microtrap array.
• Demonstrated confinement of single and multiple (up to 14) 88Sr+ ions in a single trap segment.
• Measured key performance metrics including motional frequencies, ion heating rates, and storage times.

Conclusions:

• The developed monolithic 3D ion microtrap array offers a scalable platform for trapping larger numbers of ions.
• This approach shows promise for handling several tens of ion-based qubits, addressing a key limitation in current quantum computing research.
• The fabrication method leverages established semiconductor technology, suggesting a viable path towards scalable quantum hardware.