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.

This book describes the state-of-the-art in the emerging field of optical trapping of ions, as well as the most recent advances enabling the use of this technique as a versatile tool for novel investigations in atomic physics. The text provides a detailed explanation of the requirements for optical trapping of ions, replete with a protocol for optical ion trapping, including preparation, transfer, and detection. The book also highlights the experimental requirements for extending the presented scheme to optical trapping of linear ion chains. Lastly, this text elaborates on the key features of the described approach, such as the capability to arrange single strongly interacting atoms in scalable, state-selective and wavelength-sized optical potentials without the detrimental impact of driven radiofrequency fields conventionally used to trap ions. The described results demonstrate that the developed methods are suitable for new experimental investigations, most notably in the field of ultracold interaction of ions and atoms, but also in quantum simulations and metrology. The book's practical bent is perfect for anyone attempting to build an experiment related to the field or understand the limitations behind current experiments.

Methods for, and limitations to, the generation of entangled states of trapped atomic ions are examined. As much as possible, state manipulations are described in terms of quantum logic operations since the conditional dynamics implicit in quantum logic is central to the creation of entanglement. Keeping with current interest, some experimental issues in the proposal for trapped-ion quantum computation by J.I. Cirac and P. Zoller (University of Innsbruck) are discussed. Several possible decoherence mechanisms are examined and what may be the more important of these are identified. Some potential applications for entangled states of trapped-ions which lie outside the immediate realm of quantum computation are also discussed.

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

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.

Over the last quarter of this century, revolutionary advances have been made both in kind and in precision in the application of particle traps to the study of thephysics of charged particles, leading to intensi?ed interest in, and wide proliferation of, this topic. This book is intended as a timely addition to the literature, providing a systematic uni?ed treatment of the subject, from the point of view of the application of these devices to fundamental atomic and particle physics. Thetechniqueofusingelectromagnetic?eldstocon?neandisolateatomic particles in vacuo, rather than by material walls of a container, was initially conceivedbyW.Paulintheformofa3Dversionoftheoriginalrfquadrupole mass ?lter, for which he shared the 1989 Nobel Prize in physics [1], whereas H.G. Dehmelt who also shared the 1989 Nobel Prize [2] saw these devices (including the Penning trap) as a way of isolating electrons and ions, for the purposes of high resolution spectroscopy. These two broad areas of appli- tion have developed more or less independently, each attaining a remarkable degree of sophistication and generating widespread interest and experimental activity.