Cryogenic Trapped-Ion System for Large Scale Quantum Simulation

Understand

We present a cryogenic ion trapping system designed for large scale quantum simulation of spin models.

• Our apparatus is based on a segmented-blade ion trap enclosed in a 4 K cryostat, which enables us to routinely trap over 100 $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ions in a linear configuration for hours due to a low background gas pressure from differential cryo-pumping.
• We characterize the cryogenic vacuum by using trapped ion crystals as a pressure gauge, measuring both inelastic and elastic collision rates with the molecular background gas.
• We demonstrate nearly equidistant ion spacing for chains of up to 44 ions using anharmonic axial potentials.