Isospaced Ion Crystals
Isospaced Linear Ion Strings
References: [QIS48]
We describe the statical and dynamical properties of strings of ions stored in segmented electrodynamical Paul traps with a uniform ion separation. In this work, this specific ion arrangement is achieved by a smooth anharmonic effective potential generated by suitable voltages applied to segmented dc electrodes or by appropriate electrode shaping. We find analytic expressions for the required field, potential and normal mode matrix and find that even finite systems closely reproduce the critical radial binding strength of an infinite size system at the transition from linear to zigzag configuration. From the normal mode matrix, we find that such strings exhibit a solid-state-like band of normal modes and determine the effective spin–spin coupling when the ion string is exposed to a magnetic gradient. We show how the potential, modes and couplings can be altered while still maintaining a homogeneous spacing and present numerical examples, for how this potential can be achieved in either segmented Paul traps or by using an optimized electrode geometry.