A shared ion trap quantum computer for the general research community

Some major barriers in the use of ion traps for quantum computation and simulation are the expense of the apparatus, and the technical knowledge necessary to convert circuit-level descriptions of quantum algorithms into the laser timing pulses and associated controls. We present the design for a multi-user, 10-qubit quantum computer that brings useability closer to the general research community. A new, custom control system provides users with remote control capability at various levels of abstraction: timing, gate, and circuit. Provisions for control of all hardware is provided along with built-in calibration, safety interlocks, advanced timing control and arbitrary pulse generation. A major innovation is a new individual laser addressing scheme for ion gates. This addressing scheme will use modular fibre-coupled components to split, modulate, and array the Raman addressing beams in order to reduce crosstalk between ion sites. The combination of multi-user control on a modern ion trap platform brings performance, and useability to both the experimentalist and theorist.