Ion coulomb crystals: From quantum technology to chemistry close to the absolute zero point

Abstract

Laboratoire Aimé Cotton, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, ENS Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Saclay, Baât. 505, Campus d'Orsay, 91405 Orsay Cedex, France ll2 Department of Chemistry, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 80, 4056 Basel, Switzerland Ion Coulomb crystals are ordered structures of atomic or molecular ions stored in ion traps at temperatures close to the absolute zero point. These unusual "crystals" form the basis of extremely accurate clocks, provide an environment for precise studies of chemical reactions and enable advanced implementations of the technology for a quantum computer. In this article, we discuss the techniques for generating atomic and molecular Coulomb crystals and highlight some of their applications.