Precise Experimental Investigation of Eigenmodes in a Planar Ion Crystal

H. Kaufmann, S. Ulm, G. Jacob, U. Poschinger, H. Landa, A. Retzker, M. B. Plenio, and F. Schmidt-Kaler
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 263003 – Published 28 December 2012
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Abstract

The accurate characterization of eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies of two-dimensional ion crystals provides the foundation for the use of such structures for quantum simulation purposes. We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of two-dimensional ion crystals. We demonstrate that standard pseudopotential theory accurately predicts the positions of the ions and the location of structural transitions between different crystal configurations. However, pseudopotential theory is insufficient to determine eigenfrequencies of the two-dimensional ion crystals accurately but shows significant deviations from the experimental data obtained from resolved sideband spectroscopy. Agreement at the level of 2.5×103 is found with the full time-dependent Coulomb theory using the Floquet-Lyapunov approach and the effect is understood from the dynamics of two-dimensional ion crystals in the Paul trap. The results represent initial steps towards an exploitation of these structures for quantum simulation schemes.

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  • Received 20 August 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.263003

© 2012 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

H. Kaufmann1, S. Ulm1, G. Jacob1, U. Poschinger1, H. Landa2, A. Retzker3, M. B. Plenio4, and F. Schmidt-Kaler1

  • 1QUANTUM, Institut für Physik, Universität Mainz, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany
  • 2Raymond and Beverly Sackler School of Physics and Astronomy, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
  • 3Racah Institute of Physics, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Givat Ram, Israel
  • 4Institut für Theoretische Physik, and Center for Integrated Quantum Sciences and Technology, Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany

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Issue

Vol. 109, Iss. 26 — 28 December 2012

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