Heating of a trapped ion induced by dielectric materials

TL;DR

This paper introduces a predictive model for dielectric materials' impact on trapped ion motion, aiding the design of quantum computing devices by reducing electric-field noise.

Contribution

It provides a parameter-free model that accurately predicts dielectric effects on ion traps, validated by experimental measurements.

Findings

Model shows quantitative agreement with experiments

Dielectric materials significantly influence ion motion

Potential for optimizing ion-trap quantum computer design

Abstract

Electric-field noise due to surfaces disturbs the motion of nearby trapped ions, compromising the fidelity of gate operations that are the basis for quantum computing algorithms. We present a method that predicts the effect of dielectric materials on the ion's motion. Such dielectrics are integral components of ion traps. Quantitative agreement is found between a model with no free parameters and measurements of a trapped ion in proximity to dielectric mirrors. We expect that this approach can be used to optimize the design of ion-trap-based quantum computers and network nodes.