Characterization and Control of Radial 2D Crystals in a linear Paul Trap

One-dimensional ion chains in rf traps have seen remarkable success in engineering high-fidelity quantum gates and simulating 1D quantum spin systems. A comparable ability to control and probe two-dimensional ion crystals in rf traps could present a robust method for characterizing the ground states and dynamical properties of highly frustrated spin models. We experimentally study Coulomb crystals in the "radial-2D" phase, for which the crystal plane is defined by two radial principal axes of a linear Paul trap. We characterize ion positions, structural phases, normal mode frequencies, and effects of rf heating. We find that structural phase boundaries and vibrational mode frequencies are well-described by the pseudopotential approximation, and we observe that micromotion-induced heating is confined to the radial plane. Finally, we demonstrate stable, isolated, and low-noise transverse modes, establishing radial 2D crystals in linear Paul traps as a realistic platform for implementing several quantum simulation and computation proposals.