In situ detection of RF breakdown on microfabricated surface ion traps
Abstract
Microfabricated surface ion traps are a principal component of many ion-based quantum information science platforms. The operational parameters of these devices are pushed to the edge of their physical capabilities as the experiments strive for increasing performance. When the applied radio-frequency (RF) voltage is increased excessively, the devices can experience damaging electric discharge events known as RF breakdown. We introduce two novel techniques for in situ detection of RF breakdown, which we implemented while characterizing the breakdown threshold of surface ion traps produced at Sandia National Laboratories. In these traps, breakdown did not always occur immediately after increasing the RF voltage, but often minutes or even hours later. This result is surprising in the context of the suggested mechanisms for RF breakdown in vacuum. Additionally, the extent of visible damage caused by breakdown events increased with the applied voltage. To minimize the probability for damage when RF power is first applied to a device, our results strongly suggest that the voltage should be ramped up over the course of several hours and monitored for breakdown.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2022
- Source ID
- 10.1063/5.0082740
Entities
People
- Eric Ou
- Joshua M Wilson
- Julia Tilles
- Matthew G. Blain
- Melissa Revelle
- Raymond A. Haltli
- Susan Clark
Organizations
- Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity
- Sandia National Laboratories
- United States Department of Energy