28 - Enhancing Ion-Loading Efficiency through Laser Ablation
Description/Abstract/Artist Statement
Ion traps are crucial tools in physics and chemistry that use electric fields to confine charged particles. Trapping ions makes possible long measurement times and exquisite levels of single particle control, which have applications in quantum computing, high-precision spectroscopy, and fundamental physics research. However, a key step in the operation of an ion trap is creating the charged particle and then loading it into the trap. The goal of this research project is to develop a new ablation-based ion-loading source for our lab’s ion trap. Ablation is the process of removing a minuscule amount of material from a target using a high-energy laser pulse. This laser focuses a large amount of energy onto a tiny point on the target, creating a microscopic explosion and vaporizing a small amount of the material into a cloud of neutral and ionized atoms. We will present our designs for a target holder as well as plans to bring the pulse laser beam into the experiment vacuum chamber.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Dr. Matt Grau
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Physics
College Affiliation
College of Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster
Disciplines
Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics | Optics
28 - Enhancing Ion-Loading Efficiency through Laser Ablation
Ion traps are crucial tools in physics and chemistry that use electric fields to confine charged particles. Trapping ions makes possible long measurement times and exquisite levels of single particle control, which have applications in quantum computing, high-precision spectroscopy, and fundamental physics research. However, a key step in the operation of an ion trap is creating the charged particle and then loading it into the trap. The goal of this research project is to develop a new ablation-based ion-loading source for our lab’s ion trap. Ablation is the process of removing a minuscule amount of material from a target using a high-energy laser pulse. This laser focuses a large amount of energy onto a tiny point on the target, creating a microscopic explosion and vaporizing a small amount of the material into a cloud of neutral and ionized atoms. We will present our designs for a target holder as well as plans to bring the pulse laser beam into the experiment vacuum chamber.