MEMS-based arrays of micro ion traps for quantum simulation scaling.

In this late-start Tier I Seniors Council sponsored LDRD, we have designed, simulated, microfabricated, packaged, and tested ion traps to extend the current quantum simulation capabilities of macro-ion traps to tens of ions in one and two dimensions in monolithically microfabricated micrometer-scaled MEMS-based ion traps. Such traps are being microfabricated and packaged at Sandia's MESA facility in a unique tungsten MEMS process that has already made arrays of millions of micron-sized cylindrical ion traps for mass spectroscopy applications. We define and discuss the motivation for quantum simulation using the trapping of ions, show the results of efforts in designing, simulating, and microfabricating W based MEMS ion traps at Sandia's MESA facility, and describe is some detail our development of a custom based ion trap chip packaging technology that enables the implementation of these devices in quantum physics experiments.