Trapped Ion Computing Question

In summary, the conversation discusses the stability of frequencies in trapped ions and how power supply fluctuations may affect this stability. The speaker questions whether this is a significant issue for ion traps and brings up the potential impact of voltage and frequency changes in paul traps. The response is that while an unstable voltage may have a small effect on the ion, it is not considered a serious problem and does not require sophisticated power stabilisation. The speaker then asks for the opinion of the speaker's colleagues on whether they have observed ion movements in their ion traps due to voltage drift.
  • #1
jonlg_uk
141
0
Hi all, I have a question about trapped ion. How can they achieve such stable frequencies if the power supply which supply's the ion trap drifts over time? For example if you use a paul trap as an atomic clock, how do you compensate for any fluctuations in power supply voltage and frequency?
 
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  • #2
I am not sure I understand the question: Which power supply are you talking about? The read-out electronics, lasers, vauum equipment, magnets...
An unstable PSU (an ALL PSUs are unstable to some degree) can of course be a problem; but I am don't quite understand why you think this would be especially important for ion traps?
 
  • #3
f95toli said:
I am not sure I understand the question: Which power supply are you talking about? The read-out electronics, lasers, vauum equipment, magnets...
An unstable PSU (an ALL PSUs are unstable to some degree) can of course be a problem; but I am don't quite understand why you think this would be especially important for ion traps?

For incidence if you have a paul trap and the voltage was to vary and then the frequency what effect would that have on the ion trapped inside?

BTW I am not sure if it will effect an ion computer, I am just curious of the effects of voltage and frequency changes in paul traps
 
  • #4
But again: Which voltage?
I assume you mean the voltage that drives the part of the setup that generates the electric field. Well, yes an unstable voltagr would have an effect but it will be quite small (I assume the main problem would be doppler shift).
As far as I know this is not a serious problem; none of the traps we have where I work use - any form of sophisticated power stabilisation (although I don't actually work in that field so I could be wrong).
 
  • #5
f95toli said:
But again: Which voltage?
I assume you mean the voltage that drives the part of the setup that generates the electric field. Well, yes an unstable voltagr would have an effect but it will be quite small (I assume the main problem would be doppler shift).
As far as I know this is not a serious problem; none of the traps we have where I work use - any form of sophisticated power stabilisation (although I don't actually work in that field so I could be wrong).

Thanks for your reply. Do you think you could ask the question to your colleagues as to whether they can detect ion movements in their (Paul/Penning) ion traps, due to voltage drift??
 

Related to Trapped Ion Computing Question

1. What is trapped ion computing?

Trapped ion computing is a form of quantum computing that uses electrically charged particles (ions) to store and manipulate information. These ions are held in place by electromagnetic fields, allowing for precise control and manipulation of their quantum states.

2. How does trapped ion computing differ from traditional computing?

Traditional computing uses binary bits (0s and 1s) to represent and process information, while trapped ion computing uses quantum bits (qubits) that can exist in multiple states simultaneously. This allows for more complex and efficient calculations, making trapped ion computing potentially much faster than traditional computing.

3. What are the potential applications of trapped ion computing?

Trapped ion computing has the potential to greatly improve computational power in fields such as cryptography, chemistry, and physics. It could also lead to advancements in artificial intelligence, drug discovery, and optimization problems.

4. What are the challenges facing trapped ion computing?

One of the main challenges facing trapped ion computing is the need for precise control and isolation of the ions, as any external interference can disrupt their quantum states. Additionally, scaling up the technology to handle larger numbers of qubits is a difficult and ongoing challenge.

5. How close are we to practical applications of trapped ion computing?

Trapped ion computing is still in the early stages of development, but there have been significant advancements in recent years. Some companies have already developed small-scale trapped ion quantum computers, and further research and development is ongoing to improve the technology and overcome current challenges.

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