[en] Efficient collection of fluorescence from trapped ions is crucial for quantum optics and quantum computing applications, specifically for qubit state detection and in generating single photons for ion-photon and remote ion entanglement. In a typical setup, only a few percent of the ion fluorescence is intercepted by the aperture of the imaging optics. We employ a simple metallic spherical mirror integrated with a linear Paul ion trap to achieve a photon collection efficiency of at least 10% from a single Ba⁺ ion. An aspheric corrector is used to reduce the aberrations caused by the mirror and achieve high image quality.

[en] State preparation, qubit rotation, and high fidelity readout are demonstrated for two different ¹³⁷Ba⁺ qubit types. First, an optical qubit on the narrow 6S_1/2 to 5D_5/2 transition at 1.76 μm is implemented. Then, leveraging the techniques developed there for readout, a ground-state hyperfine qubit using the magnetically insensitive transition at 8 GHz is accomplished.

[en] Efficient collection and analysis of trapped ion qubit fluorescence is essential for robust qubit state detection in trapped ion quantum computing schemes. We discuss simple techniques of improving photon collection efficiency using high numerical aperture (N.A.) reflective optics. To test these techniques we placed a spherical mirror with an effective N.A. of about 0.9 inside a vacuum chamber in the vicinity of a linear Paul trap. We demonstrate stable and reliable trapping of single barium ions, in excellent agreement with our simulations of the electric field in this setup. While a large N.A. spherical mirror introduces significant spherical aberration, the ion image quality can be greatly improved by a specially designed aspheric corrector lens located outside the vacuum system. Our simulations show that the spherical mirror/corrector design is an easy and cost-effective way to achieve high photon collection rates when compared to a more sophisticated parabolic mirror setup.

[en] Individually trapped ¹³⁷Ba⁺ in an RF Paul trap is proposed as a qubit candidate, and its various benefits are compared to other ionic qubits. We report the current experimental status of using this ion for quantum computation. Future plans and prospects are discussed.

[en] AgOs₂O₆ prepared from ion-exchanged superconducting β-pyrochlore KOs₂O₆ has been shown to be non-superconducting. Synchrotron x-ray structure refinement suggests that AgOs₂O₆ has the Ag ion mostly occupying the low-symmetry 32e site in the F d 3-bar m space group of proper occupancy, which is different from the original major occupancy at the high-symmetry 8b site for KOs₂O₆, and similar to non-superconducting Na_1.4Os₂O₆⋅H₂O. Magnetic susceptibility measurements found no magnetic ordering down to ∼1.7 K. The trace amount of isolated spins suggests that the Ag could be neutral and lead to a pure Os⁶⁺ valence state of zero spin in the newly prepared AgOs₂O₆.

[en] A free-electron laser based THz source is undergoing design studies at the Photo Injector Test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ). It is considered as a prototype for pump-probe experiments at the European XFEL, benefiting from the fact that the electron beam from the PITZ facility has an identical pulse train structure as the XFEL pulses. In the proposed proof-of-principle experiment, the electron beam (up to 4 nC bunch charge and 200 A peak current) will be accelerated to 16-22 MeV/c to generate SASE radiations in an LCLS-I undulator in the THz range between 60 and 100 pm with an expected energy of up to ∼1 mJ/pulse. In this paper, we report our simulations on the optimization of the photo-injector and the design of the transport and matching beamline. Experimental investigations on the generation, characterization and matching of the high charge beam in the existing 22-m-long beamline will also be presented. (paper)

[en] L-band normal conducting RF guns operating at long pulse mode and high gradient are installed at the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (European XFEL) and the Free-electron LASer in Hamburg (FLASH) as high brightness electron sources. The dark current generated from the gun may cause severe issues, such as component activation, superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavity quench and undulator degradation. The dark current is one of the parameters limiting the gun accelerating gradient and performance. In this paper, we report the dark current tracking simulations, including the detailed RF field distribution in the gap between cathode plug and copper hole in the backplane. The transmission ratios of the field emission from cathode regions were simulated for different copper hole geometries and different plug insertions. The dark current imaging measurements were conducted in an L-band normal conducting RF gun (gun 4.2) at the Photo Injector Test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ). The dark current imaging comparison before and after a 180 degree cathode plug rotation shows the main dark current emissions come from the copper hole corner and Cs₂Te film edge, which is consistent with the dark current tracking simulations.

[en] Mn vacancy defect and grain size are shown to modify the magnetic phase diagram of MnSi significantly, especially near the critical regime of A-phase (skyrmion lattice) formation and the helimagnetic phase transition. Crystals grown using controlled nonstoichiometric initial precursors creates both grain boundaries and intrinsic Mn vacancy defect of various levels in MnSi. The results of combined transport, specific heat, and AC spin susceptibility measurements are compared for MnSi single crystal samples of various manganese deficiency levels and grain sizes. The finite-size effect and Mn vacancy level dependent helical phase transition temperature $T_{\text{c}}$ have been identified and verified. The stability of A-phase in H-T phase space has been examined through AC spin susceptibility data analysis. (paper)

[en] Diesel engine has multiple grades of waste heat with different ratios of combustion heat, exhaust is 400 °C with the ratio of 21% and coolant is 90 °C with 19%. Few previous publications investigate the recovery of multiple grades waste heat together. In this paper, a two-stage transcritical combined organic rankine cycle (CORC) is presented and analyzed. In the combined system, the high and low temperature stages transcritical cycle recover the high grades waste heat, and medium to low grades waste heat respectively, and being combined efficiently. Meanwhile, the suitable working fluids for high stage are chosen and analyzed. The cycle parameters, including thermal efficiency (η_t_h), net power output (P_n_e_t), energy efficiency (η_e_x_g) and global thermal efficiency of DE-CORC(η_g_l_o) have also been analyzed and optimized. The results indicate that this combined system could recover all the waste heat with a high recovery ratio (above 90%) and obtain a maximum power output of 37kW for a DE of 243kW. The global thermal efficiency of DE-CORC can get a max value of 46.2% compared with 40% for single DE. The results also indicate that all the energy conversion process have a high exergy efficiency

[en] Laser pulse shaping is one of the key elements to generate low emittance electron beams with RF photoinjectors. Ultimately high performance can be achieved with ellipsoidal laser pulses, but 3-dimensional shaping is challenging. High beam quality can also be reached by simple transverse pulse shaping, which has demonstrated improved beam emittance compared to a transversely uniform laser in the ‘pancake’ photoemission regime. In this contribution we present the truncation of a Gaussian laser at a radius of approximately one sigma in the intermediate (electron bunch length directly after emission about the same as radius) photoemission regime with high acceleration gradients (up to 60 MV/m). This type of electron bunch is used e.g. at the European XFEL and FLASH free electron lasers at DESY, Hamburg site and is being investigated in detail at the Photoinjector Test facility at DESY in Zeuthen (PITZ). Here we present ray-tracing simulations and experimental data of a laser beamline upgrade enabling variable transverse truncation. Initial projected emittance measurements taken with help of this setup are shown, as well as supporting beam dynamics simulations. Additional simulations show the potential for substantial reduction of slice emittance at PITZ. (paper)