Coherent control of a single trapped Rydberg ion

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the first coherent Rydberg excitation of a single trapped ion and implements a single-qubit Rydberg gate, advancing the development of Rydberg ion quantum computers.

Contribution

It introduces the first coherent Rydberg excitation of a trapped ion and performs a single-qubit Rydberg gate, combining ion control with Rydberg interactions.

Findings

Successful coherent Rydberg excitation of a trapped ion

Implementation of a single-qubit Rydberg gate

Advancement towards Rydberg ion quantum computing

Abstract

Trapped Rydberg ions are a promising novel approach to quantum computing and simulations. They are envisaged to combine the exquisite control of trapped ion qubits with the fast two-qubit Rydberg gates already demonstrated in neutral atom experiments. Coherent Rydberg excitation is a key requirement for these gates. Here, we carry out the first coherent Rydberg excitation of an ion and perform a single-qubit Rydberg gate, thus demonstrating basic elements of a trapped Rydberg ion quantum computer.