Title:

Toward multi-ion optical clocks

Abstract:

Trapped ions are a versatile and powerful platform that offers an unparalleled level of isolation and quantum control. While these days, trapped ions are mostly known as one of the leading players in the strive to build a useful quantum computer, they are also ideal systems for quantum sensing with the prominent example of optical atomic clocks. To date, most ion clocks are working with only a single ion, which fundamentally limits the measurement stability due to the quantum projection noise. Operating a multi-ion optical clock has obvious potential to improve stability performance. However, controlling various systematic shifts in a chain of many ions is challenging and, so far, has primarily impeded the implementation of such clocks. Here, some techniques from the field of quantum information may be helpful.

I will review a few methods and proof-of-principle experiments at WIS, which use dynamic decoupling and quantum state engineering to tackle some of these challenges. I will present the status of our Sr+ clock and our plans for the near future.