Quantum control of the motional states of trapped ions through fast switching of trapping potentials

TL;DR

This paper introduces a fast voltage switching scheme for microfabricated ion traps, enabling rapid ion transport and control of motional states, which could enhance quantum information processing capabilities.

Contribution

It proposes a novel method for rapid potential changes in ion traps, allowing faster ion transport and motional state manipulation beyond traditional limits.

Findings

Theoretical analysis of ion transport with fast switching

Identification of control parameter precision requirements

Discussion of motional state squeezing possibilities

Abstract

We propose a new scheme for supplying voltages to the electrodes of microfabricated ion traps, enabling access to a regime in which changes to the trapping potential are made on timescales much shorter than the period of the secular oscillation frequencies of the trapped ions. This opens up possibilities for speeding up the transport of ions in segmented ion traps and also provides access to control of multiple ions in a string faster than the Coulomb interaction between them. We perform a theoretical study of ion transport using these methods in a surface-electrode trap, characterizing the precision required for a number of important control parameters. We also consider the possibilities and limitations for generating motional state squeezing using these techniques, which could be used as a basis for investigations of Gaussian-state entanglement.