We describe a novel method to measure the surface charge densities on optical fibers placed in the vicinity of a trapped ion, where the ion itself acts as the probe. Surface charges distort the trapping potential, and when the fibers are displaced, the ion's equilibrium position and secular motional frequencies are altered. We measure the latter quantities for different positions of the fibers and compare these measurements to simulations in which unknown charge densities on the fibers are adjustable parameters. Values ranging from −10 to +50 e/µm 2 were determined. Our results will benefit the design and simulation of miniaturized experimental systems combining ion traps and integrated optics, for example, in the fields of quantum computation, communication and metrology. Furthermore, our method can be applied to any setup in which a dielectric element can be displaced relative to a trapped charge-sensitive particle.
We present an ion trap with an integrated fiber cavity, designed for strong coupling at the level of single ions and photons. The cavity is aligned to the axis of a miniature linear Paul trap, enabling simultaneous coupling of multiple ions to the cavity field. We simulate how charges on the fiber mirrors affect the trap potential, and we test these predictions with an ion trapped in the cavity. Furthermore, we measure micromotion and heating rates in the setup.
We present an ion trap with an integrated fiber cavity, designed for strong coupling at the level of single ions and photons. The cavity is aligned to the axis of a miniature linear Paul trap, enabling simultaneous coupling of multiple ions to the cavity field. We simulate how charges on the fiber mirrors affect the trap potential, and we test these predictions with an ion trapped in the cavity. Furthermore, we measure micromotion and heating rates in the setup.
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