Scaling and Suppression of Anomalous Heating in Ion Traps

We measure and characterize anomalous motional heating of an atomic ion confined in the lowest quantum levels of a novel rf ion trap that features moveable electrodes. The scaling of heating with electrode proximity is measured, and when the electrodes are cooled from 300 to 150 K, the heating rate is suppressed by an order of magnitude. This provides direct evidence that anomalous motional heating of trapped ions stems from microscopic noisy potentials on the electrodes that are thermally driven. These observations are relevant to decoherence in quantum information processing schemes based on trapped ions and perhaps other charge-based quantum systems

Bell inequality violation with two remote atomic qubits

We observe violation of a Bell inequality between the quantum states of two remote Yb ions separated by a distance of about one meter with the detection loophole closed. The heralded entanglement of two ions is established via interference and joint detection of two emitted photons, whose polarization is entangled with each ion. The entanglement of remote qubits is also characterized by full quantum state tomography.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Abelian Sandpile Model on the Husimi Lattice of Square Plaquettes

An Abelian sandpile model is considered on the Husimi lattice of square plaquettes. Exact expressions for the distribution of height probabilities in the Self-Organized Critical state are derived. The two-point correlation function for the sites deep inside the Husimi lattice is calculated exactly.Comment: 12 pages, LaTeX, source files and some additional information available at http://thsun1.jinr.dubna.su/~shcher

Decoherence in ion traps due to laser intensity and phase fluctuations

We consider one source of decoherence for a single trapped ion due to intensity and phase fluctuations in the exciting laser pulses. For simplicity we assume that the stochastic processes involved are white noise processes, which enables us to give a simple master equation description of this source of decoherence. This master equation is averaged over the noise, and is sufficient to describe the results of experiments that probe the oscillations in the electronic populations as energy is exchanged between the internal and electronic motion. Our results are in good qualitative agreement with recent experiments and predict that the decoherence rate will depend on vibrational quantum number in different ways depending on which vibrational excitation sideband is used.Comment: 2 figures, submitted to PR

Ion trap transducers for quantum electromechanical oscillators

An enduring challenge for contemporary physics is to experimentally observe and control quantum behavior in macroscopic systems. We show that a single trapped atomic ion could be used to probe the quantum nature of a mesoscopic mechanical oscillator precooled to 4K, and furthermore, to cool the oscillator with high efficiency to its quantum ground state. The proposed experiment could be performed using currently available technology.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Unitary transformation approach for the trapped ion dynamics

We present a way of treating the problem of the interaction of a single trapped ion with laser beams based on successive aplications of unitary transformations onto the Hamiltonian. This allows the diagonalization of the Hamiltonian, by means of recursive relations, without performing the Lamb-Dicke approximation.Comment: 8 page

Mo-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} cermet research and development

This report describes the results to date of a program that was initiated to predict and measure residual stresses in Mo-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} cermet-containing components and to develop new materials and processes that would lead to the reduction or elimination of the thermal mismatch stresses. The period of performance includes work performed CY95-97. Excessive thermal mismatch stresses had produced cracking in some cermet-containing neutron tube components. This cracking could lead to a loss of hermeticity or decreased tube reliability. Stress predictions were conducted using finite element models of the various components, along with the thermal coefficient of expansion (CTE), Young`s modulus, and strength properties. A significant portion of the program focused on the property measurements for the existing cermet materials, processing conditions, and the measurement technique. The effects of differences in the properties on the predicted residual stresses were calculated for existing designs. Several potential approaches were evaluated for reducing the residual stresses and cracking in cermet-containing parts including reducing the Mo content of the cermet, substituting a ternary alloy with a better CTE match with alumina, and substituting Nb for Mo. Processing modifications were also investigated for minimizing warpage that occurs during sintering due to differential sintering. These modifications include changing the pressing of the 94ND2 alumina and changing to a 96% alumina powder from AlSiMag

Implementation of quantum gates and preparation of entangled states in cavity QED with cold trapped ions

We propose a scheme to perform basic gates of quantum computing and prepare entangled states in a system with cold trapped ions located in a single mode optical cavity. General quantum computing can be made with both motional state of the trapped ion and cavity state being qubits. We can also generate different kinds of entangled states in such a system without state reduction, and can transfer quantum states from the ion in one trap to the ion in another trap. Experimental requirement for achieving our scheme is discussed.Comment: To appear in J. Opt.