Demonstration of a quantum logic gate in a cryogenic surface-electrode ion trap

Abstract

We demonstrate quantum control techniques for a single trapped ion in a cryogenic, surface-electrode trap. A narrow optical transition of Sr[superscript +] along with the ground and first excited motional states of the harmonic trapping potential form a two-qubit system. The optical qubit transition is susceptible to magnetic field fluctuations, which we stabilize with a simple and compact method using superconducting rings. Decoherence of the motional qubit is suppressed by the cryogenic environment. ac Stark shift correction is accomplished by controlling the laser phase in the pulse sequencer, eliminating the need for an additional laser. Quantum process tomography is implemented on atomic and motional states by use of conditional pulse sequences. With these techniques, we demonstrate a Cirac-Zoller controlled-not gate in a single ion with a mean fidelity of 91(1)%.