Microfabricated ion traps

• Published in: Contemporary physics 2011-11, Vol.52 (6), p.505-529
• Main Authors: Hughes, Marcus D., Lekitsch, Bjoern, Broersma, Jiddu A., Hensinger, Winfried K.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accuracy; anomalous heating; Arrays; Coherence; Design engineering; Electric fields; Ground state; Heating; Ingredients; ion traps; Ions; Laser cooling; laser cooling and trapping; microfabrication; Microwaves; quantum information processing; Quantum physics
• ISSN: 0010-7514; 1366-5812
• DOI: 10.1080/00107514.2011.601918

Ion traps offer the opportunity to study fundamental quantum systems with a high level of accuracy highly decoupled from the environment. Individual atomic ions can be controlled and manipulated with electric fields, cooled to the ground state of motion with laser cooling and coherently manipulated using optical and microwave radiation. Microfabricated ion traps hold the advantage of allowing for smaller trap dimensions and better scalability towards large ion trap arrays also making them a vital ingredient for next generation quantum technologies. Here we provide an introduction into the principles and operation of microfabricated ion traps. We show an overview of material and electrical considerations which are vital for the design of such trap structures. We provide guidance on how to choose the appropriate fabrication design, consider different methods for the fabrication of microfabricated ion traps and discuss previously realised structures. We also discuss the phenomenon of anomalous heating of ions within ion traps, which becomes an important factor in the miniaturisation of ion traps.