Optimisation of two-dimensional ion trap arrays for quantum simulation

TL;DR

This paper presents a method to optimize 2D ion trap arrays for quantum simulation by maximizing ion-ion interaction rates relative to decoherence, using numerical simulations and geometric scaling laws.

Contribution

It introduces a new optimization approach for 2D ion trap geometries focusing on homogeneity and interaction-to-decoherence ratio enhancement.

Findings

Optimal polygon radii and separations scale with rf voltage and drive frequency.

Homogeneity of trapping sites can be maximized across various array sizes.

Case study demonstrates design principles for 171Yb+ ion quantum simulators.

Abstract

The optimisation of two-dimensional (2D) lattice ion trap geometries for trapped ion quantum simulation is investigated. The geometry is optimised for the highest ratio of ion-ion interaction rate to decoherence rate. To calculate the electric field of such array geometries a numerical simulation based on a "Biot-Savart like law" method is used. In this article we will focus on square, hexagonal and centre rectangular lattices for optimisation. A method for maximising the homogeneity of trapping site properties over an array is presented for arrays of a range of sizes. We show how both the polygon radii and separations scale to optimise the ratio between the interaction and decoherence rate. The optimal polygon radius and separation for a 2D lattice is found to be a function of the ratio between rf voltage and drive frequency applied to the array. We then provide a case study for 171Yb+ ions to show how a two-dimensional quantum simulator array could be designed.