Linear Mode-Mixing of Phonons with Trapped Ions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to control phonon modes in trapped ion chains using two lasers, enabling mode-mixing analogous to optical beam splitters, which advances quantum simulation capabilities.

Contribution

It presents a novel laser-based technique for linear mode-mixing of phonons in trapped ions, expanding quantum control of motional degrees of freedom.

Findings

Demonstrates phonon mode-mixing using two lasers

Enables simulation of quantum optical beam splitters

Enhances control over ion chain quantum states

Abstract

We propose a method to manipulate the normal modes in a chain of trapped ions using only two lasers. Linear chains of trapped ions have proven experimentally to be highly controllable quantum systems with a variety of refined techniques for preparation, evolution, and readout, however, typically for quantum information processing applications people have been interested in using the internal levels of the ions as the computational basis. We analyse the case where the motional degrees of freedom of the ions is the quantum system of interest, and where the internal levels are leveraged to facilitate interactions. In particular, we focus on an analysis of mode-mixing of phonons in different normal modes to mimic the quantum optical equivalent of a beam splitter.