TeufIQ

At the DLR Innovation Centre Hamburg, DLR offers technological support for the preparation of processes necessary to manufacture ion traps. We are also advancing our own innovations and making a significant contribution to technological progress in this area. In addition to the ion traps themselves, we also address the peripheral technologies required for the construction of miniaturised vacuum technology, especially electro-optical interfaces and appropriate construction and connection technologies.

Motivation

Ion trap technology holds a lot of promise for the realisation of a quantum computer. In this project, we are looking to harness our expertise in the field of microsystems technology to produce wafer-based ion trap chips for quantum computing. These ion traps are very similar to the atom chip technology used for quantum gravimetry. Our department and the Institute of Microproduction Technology (IMPT) at the Leibniz University of Hanover are pioneers in this type of technology. The main focus of this project is the integration of magnetic quadrupole structures on a micrometre scale. We are also investigating the design of electro-optical interfaces and the miniaturisation of vacuum technology.

Challenge

The manufacture of ion traps requires in-depth knowledge of the processes involved. The way in which successive process interact is very important here. We plan to integrate magnetic quadrupole structures, which increases the complexity significantly, primarily due to the thermal processes involved. These structures are used to convert the amorphous deposited magnetic material into a crystalline phase that enables it to be used as a permanent magnet. We are developing solutions to locally limit the required thermal input and thus avoid any incompatibilities between successive processes. We are also enhancing chip performance by integrating magnetic structures, addressing the design of electro-optical interfaces and studying the miniaturisation of vacuum technologies.