Transport of multispecies ion crystals through a junction in an RF Paul trap

Understand

We report on the first demonstration of transport of a multispecies ion crystal through a junction in an RF Paul trap.

• The trap is a two-dimensional surface-electrode trap with an X junction and segmented control electrodes to which time-varying voltages are applied to control the shape and position of potential wells above the trap surface.
• We transport either a single $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ion or a crystal composed of a $^{138}$Ba$^+$ ion cotrapped with the $^{171}$Yb$^+$ ion to any port of the junction.
• We characterize the motional excitation by performing multiple round-trips through the junction and back to the initial well position without cooling.