Comparative Numerical Studies of Ion Traps with Integrated Optical Cavities

Integrating an optical cavity into a radio-frequency ion trap yields an ideal building block for quantum information networks or quantum computers. Unfortunately, it also jeopardizes the trap's stability. The authors compare the advantages and disadvantages of known ion-trap geometries and cavity configurations, and identify general features of the geometries best suited to developing a scalable network. This comprehensive study is an essential step in the development of tomorrow's secure quantum networks.