Efficient Fiber Optic Detection of Trapped Ion Fluorescence

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates an integrated fiber optic system for efficient detection of trapped ion fluorescence, advancing scalable quantum information processing by improving light collection methods.

Contribution

It introduces a novel setup with an integrated optical fiber in a surface-electrode trap, achieving measurable fluorescence collection efficiency for trapped ions.

Findings

Achieved 2.1% total collection efficiency of ion fluorescence.

Successfully positioned ions at variable distances from the fiber tip.

Demonstrated scalable light collection in a trapped ion system.

Abstract

Integration of fiber optics may play a critical role in the development of quantum information processors based on trapped ions and atoms by enabling scalable collection and delivery of light and coupling trapped ions to optical microcavities. We trap 24Mg+ ions in a surface-electrode Paul trap that includes an integrated optical fiber for detecting 280-nm fluorescence photons. The collection numerical aperture is 0.37 and total collection efficiency is 2.1 %. The ion can be positioned between 80 \mum and 100 \mum from the tip of the fiber by use of an adjustable rf-pseudopotential.