Many-body non-equilibrium phenomena with a Trapped-Ion Quantum Simulator

Trapped atomic ions are one of the leading platforms for the simulation of spin models. Here we present our progress on the construction of a multi-species trapping apparatus for Ytterbium and Barium ion chains. The system is based on a segmented four-blade Paul trap, which provides a large numerical aperture for high-resolution imaging (NA~0.6) and individual addressing (NA~0.3). The electrodes have been devised to optimize the homogeneity of the confinement radiofrequency field along the trap axis and to lower the required voltage to achieve quasi-uniformly spaced ion chains. We will also report our effort to extend this trap design to a monolithic three-dimensional trap with high precision electrode alignment utilizing laser writing and controlled glass etching techniques. By using internal electronic states within each ion to encode spin degrees of freedom and the normal phonon modes of the ion chain to tailor the interactions among the qubits, we aim to efficiently investigate spin Hamiltonians beyond the ability of classical computers. The apparatus is designed to give us precise control of both unitary and dissipative evolutions of the spin systems, allowing us access to new frontiers of quantum simulation, including the realization of quantum spin glass models and the study of lattice gauge theories.