An ultracold gas plus an ion! In our project, we plan to realize a new-generation atom-ion machine in order to realize new quantum simulations of a many-body system in the presence of one or more localized impurities. With this setup, we plan to investigate fundamental atom-ion interactions in the ultracold regime, and to use these controlled interactions to realize a platform for investigating out-of-equilibrium quantum systems and quantum thermodynamics.

Designing the RF electric core of an ion trap

Analogously to a beating heart, the electrodes of an ion trap need to receive synchronous RF electric signals with a precise frequency and phase in order to function properly. We developed a compact RF drive for the electrodes of our ion trap composed of interdependent RLC circuits resonating at iso-frequency, iso-amplitude and with proper phase opposition. The circuit provides an amplification factor of 200 and it allows ions' micromotion correction via feedback loops.

A. Detti, et al.
A compact radiofrequency drive based on interdependent resonant circuits for precise control of ion traps
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 90, 023201 (2019)