Ion-trap quantum information processing: experimental status

TL;DR

This paper reviews the current experimental status of ion-trap quantum information processing, highlighting the advantages, recent achievements, and ongoing efforts towards scalable quantum computers and photon-ion interfaces.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of experimental progress in ion-trap quantum computing, including quantum gates, large-scale trap development, and photon interfacing techniques.

Findings

Demonstrated basic quantum information protocols with trapped ions.

Progress towards large-scale ion-trap quantum computers.

Active research in quantum interfacing of ions with photons.

Abstract

Atomic ions trapped in ultra-high vacuum form an especially well-understood and useful physical system for quantum information processing. They provide excellent shielding of quantum information from environmental noise, while strong, well-controlled laser interactions readily provide quantum logic gates. A number of basic quantum information protocols have been demonstrated with trapped ions. Much current work aims at the construction of large-scale ion-trap quantum computers using complex microfabricated trap arrays. Several groups are also actively pursuing quantum interfacing of trapped ions with photons.