A high repetition deterministic single ion source

TL;DR

This paper presents a deterministic single ion source with high repetition rate and fidelity, utilizing ultracold Rubidium atoms in a magneto-optical trap, enabling advanced applications in microscopy and surface analysis.

Contribution

The authors develop a high-repetition-rate, high-fidelity deterministic ion source using laser-cooled atoms and heralded ion creation, advancing ion source technology.

Findings

Ion rate of up to 40 kHz achieved

Single ion operation fidelity of 98% demonstrated

Applicable to all laser-coolable atomic species

Abstract

We report on a deterministic single ion source with high repetition rate and high fidelity. The source employs a magneto-optical trap, where ultracold Rubidium atoms are photoionized. The electrons herald the creation of a corresponding ion, whose timing information is used to manipulate its trajectory in flight. We demonstrate an ion rate of up to 40 kHz and achieve a fidelity for single ion operation of 98 %. The technique can be used for all atomic species, which can be laser-cooled, and opens up new applications in ion microscopy, ion implantation and surface spectroscopy.