Transport of quantum states and separation of ions in a dual RF ion trap
M. A. Rowe, Amit Ben-Kish, Brian DeMarco, Dietrich G. Leibfried, V. Meyer, James A. Beall, J. Britton, J. Hughes, Wayne M. Itano, B. M. Jelenkovic, C. Langer, Till Rosenband, David J. Wineland · Quantum Information and Computation · 2002
We have investigated ion dynamics associated with a dual linear ion trap where ions can be stored in and moved between two distinct locations. Such a trap is a building block for a system to engineer arbitrary quantum states of ion ensembles. Specifically, this trap is the unit cell in a strategy for scalable quantum computing using a series of interconnected ion traps. We have transferred an ion between trap locations 1.2 mm apart in 50 $\mu$s with near unit efficiency ($> 10^{6}$ consecutive transfers) and negligible motional heating, while maintaining internal-state coherence. In addition, we have separated two ions held in a common trap into two distinct traps.