One problem with ion traps qubits has been the heating of the motional degrees of the trapped ions, due mostly to fluctuating potentials on the trap electrodes. The electrode potential goes yee-yaw and the ion goes wee-wah, heating up and thus ruining the motional degree of freedom of the ion. One idea has been that these potentials are thermally activated. If this is true, then cooling down the electrodes should reduce this “anomalous” heating. And indeed, here is a Physical Review Letter describing just such a result from the group at the University of Michigan using a cool double-needle radio frequency trap (See also here.) By lowering the electrodes from 300 K to approximately 150 K the group was able to reduce the heating rate by an order of magnitude. Mmmm, delicious order of magnitude.
O brave new quantum world!
Is the “wee-eah” mode an eigenmode or a superposition? In particular, is there much admixture of the “shuckin and jivin” mode?
By lowering the electrodes from 300 K to approximately 150 K the group was able to reduce the heating rate by an order of magnitude.