Phonon-number-resolving Detection of Multiple Local Phonon Modes in Trapped Ions

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method for detecting and monitoring multiple local phonon modes in trapped ions by mapping phonon states to long-lived states and performing sequential fluorescence detection, enabling observation of phonon dynamics.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel phonon-number-resolving detection technique for local phonon modes in trapped ions, improving measurement accuracy during phonon hopping.

Findings

Successfully observed time evolution of two local phonon modes.

Measured phonon-number correlations between modes.

Demonstrated mitigation of phonon hopping effects.

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate phonon-number-resolving detection of the multiple local phonon modes in a trapped-ion chain. To mitigate the effect of phonon hopping during the detection process, the probability amplitude of each local phonon mode is mapped to the auxiliary long-lived motional ground states. Sequential state-dependent fluorescence detection is then performed. In the experiment, we have successfully observed the time evolution of two local phonon modes in two ions, including the phonon-number correlation between the two modes.