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A single-ion trap with minimized ion–environment interactions

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Abstract

We present a new single-ion endcap trap for high-precision spectroscopy that has been designed to minimize ion–environment interactions. We describe the design in detail and then characterize the working trap using a single trapped \(^{171}{\rm Yb}^{+}\) ion. Excess micromotion has been eliminated to the resolution of the detection method, and the trap exhibits an anomalous phonon heating rate of \(d\langle n\rangle /{\mathrm{d}}t = 24 ^{+30}_{-24}\,{\rm s}^{-1}\). The thermal properties of the trap structure have also been measured with an effective temperature rise at the ion’s position of \({\Delta }T_{\mathrm{(ion)}} = 0.14 \pm 0.14\,{\rm K}\). The small perturbations to the ion caused by this trap make it suitable to be used for an optical frequency standard with fractional uncertainties below the \(10^{-18}\) level.

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Notes

  1. High SRF SMD components (X7R dielectric) ensure good performance in the 1–10 MHz range.

  2. R = 100 k\({\varOmega }\), C = 100 nF, L = 22 \(\upmu\)H (Coilcraft 1812CS).

  3. Poles at 10 Hz and 100 kHz, respectively.

  4. NKT LMA-PM-5.

  5. NA = 0.40, Filter Transmission T = 92 %, PMT Q.E. = 27 %

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the European Metrology Research Programme (EMRP), the UK National Measurement System, and the European Space Agency (ESA). The EMRP is jointly funded by the EMRP participating countries within EURAMET and the European Union.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Rd, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 0LW, UK

    P. B. R. Nisbet-Jones, S. A. King, J. M. Jones, R. M. Godun, C. F. A. Baynham & P. Gill

  2. Czech Metrology Institute, V Botanice, 150 72, Prague, Czech Republic

    M. Doležal & P. Balling

  3. School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK

    J. M. Jones & K. Bongs

  4. Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PU, UK

    C. F. A. Baynham

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  1. P. B. R. Nisbet-Jones
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Correspondence to P. B. R. Nisbet-Jones.

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Nisbet-Jones, P.B.R., King, S.A., Jones, J.M. et al. A single-ion trap with minimized ion–environment interactions. Appl. Phys. B 122, 57 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-016-6327-x

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