Trapped ions are a promising approach to quantum computation. This approach uses a qubit state which is the atomic state and quantum motional state of a trapped ion to encode information, and uses laser-ion interactions to manipulate the qubit state. A major obstacle to the realization of a practical ion trap quantum computer is decoherence. In trapped ion quantum computation experiments, decoherence is dominated by the uncontrolled heating of ion motional states. In this thesis, we present the detailed microfabrication of several series of surface electrode linear Paul traps made from different electrode materials, followed by the ion motional heating experiment results for these traps. We demonstrate that the ion motional heating strongly depends on fabrication process. In particular, we explore how grain size and grain orientation affect the ion motional heating rate. This thesis is divided into two parts. In the first part, we describe the fabrication of gold, silver, aluminum and niobium traps from different processes, which results in various surface morphologies and grain structures. Ion motional heating rate measurements are then conducted both at cryogenic temperatures and at room temperature. We employ a physical model based on the fluctuating patch potential theory to explain the ion heating behavior. We use gold traps to study the temperature and frequency dependence of the ion heating. We use aluminum traps to study the ion heating dependence on the amorphous dielectric layer. And we use silver traps to study the ion heating dependence on the grain structure. These results suggest that excess ion heating could possibly be suppressed by suitable fabrication selection. In the second part, we present the process of using SU8 to fabricate a multilayer surface electrode point Paul trap, which has the advantage of allowing ion height variation within the same trap and enables testing of the distance dependence of ion heating.

Quantum mechanics, the subfield of physics that describes the behavior of very small (quantum) particles, provides the basis for a new paradigm of computing. First proposed in the 1980s as a way to improve computational modeling of quantum systems, the field of quantum computing has recently garnered significant attention due to progress in building small-scale devices. However, significant technical advances will be required before a large-scale, practical quantum computer can be achieved. Quantum Computing: Progress and Prospects provides an introduction to the field, including the unique characteristics and constraints of the technology, and assesses the feasibility and implications of creating a functional quantum computer capable of addressing real-world problems. This report considers hardware and software requirements, quantum algorithms, drivers of advances in quantum computing and quantum devices, benchmarks associated with relevant use cases, the time and resources required, and how to assess the probability of success.

Ion trapping was first accomplished in Europe more than 50 years ago. Since then, research and development have increased steadily, and the last decades have seen a remarkable growth in applications, mainly due to the improvement of laser-based techniques for spectroscopy, cooling and the manipulation of ions. Nowadays ion trapping plays a crucial role in a wide range of disciplines, including atomic and plasma physics, chemistry, high precision measurement, high energy physics and the emerging field of quantum technologies. This book presents lectures and reports from the Enrico Fermi School ‘Ion Traps for Tomorrow's Applications’, held in Varenna, Italy, in July 2013. Reflecting the aim of the school to exploit diversity and stimulate cross fertilization, the selected topics and highlights in this book partly review the wide range of subjects discussed during the course, while providing an overview of this topical domain. As well as providing a useful reference guide, the book will be a source of inspiration for all those planning to work on ion trapping in the future.

This book provides and elementary introduction to the field of trapping highly charged ions. The first group of chapters is intended to describe the various sorts of highly charged ion traps: EBIT, EBIS, ECR, Storage Rings and various speciality traps. The authors focus on their own ion trap facilities in order to teach by example. The chapters range in scope from comprehensive reviews to brief introductions. The second group of chapters is intended to give a flavour of the various sorts of scientific research which are presently being carried out with traps for highly charged ions. These chapters not only inform, but also stimulate newcomers to think up fresh ideas. The articles in this second group generally fall into one of three broad categories: atomic structure experiments, ion-surface interactions and precision mass spectrometry. The third group of chapters is intended to deal with theory and spectroscopic analysis. It provides some of the background material necessary to make sense of observed phenomenology, to allow detailed explanation of experimental data, and to sensibly plan further experimentation. An appendix provides a complete keyword-annotated bibliography of pa

Over the past 15 years ion traps have demonstrated all the building blocks required of a quantum computer. Despite this success, trapping ions remains a challenging task, with the requirement for extensive laser systems and vacuum systems to perform operations on only a handful of qubits. To scale these proof of principle experiments into something that can outperform a classical computer requires an advancement in the trap technologies that will allow multiple trapping zones, junctions and utilize scalable fabrication technologies. I will discuss the construction of an ion trapping experiment, focussing on my work towards the laser stabilization and ion trap design but also covering the experimental setup as a whole. The vacuum system that I designed allows the mounting and testing of a variety of ion trap chips, with versatile optical access and a fast turn around time. I will also present the design and fabrication of a microfabricated Y junction and a 2- dimensional ion trap lattice. I achieve a suppression of barrier height and small variation of secular frequency through the Y junction, aiding to the junctions applicability to adiabatic shuttling operations. I also report the design and fabrication of a 2-D ion trap lattice. Such structures have been proposed as a means to implement quantum simulators and to my knowledge is the first microfabricated lattice trap. Electrical testing of the trap structures was undertaken to investigate the breakdown voltage of microfabricated structures with both static and radio frequency voltages. The results from these tests negate the concern over reduced rf voltage breakdown and in fact demonstrates breakdown voltages significantly above that typically required for ion trapping. This may allow ion traps to be designed to operate with higher voltages and greater ion-electrode separations, reducing anomalous heating. Lastly I present my work towards the implementation of magnetic fields gradients and microwaves on chip. This may allow coupling of the ions internal state to its motion using microwaves, thus reducing the requirements for the use of laser systems.

This stimulating discussion of a rapidly developing field is divided into two parts. The first features tutorials in textbook style providing self-contained introductions to the various areas relevant to atom chip research. Part II contains research reviews that provide an integrated account of the current state in an active area of research where atom chips are employed, and explore possible routes of future progress. Depending on the subject, the length of the review and the relative weight of the 'review' and 'outlook' parts vary, since the authors include their own personal view and style in their accounts.