Green Mountain Ions: Developing trapped ion experiments at Middlebury College

Cold, trapped atomic ions serve as both a leading platform for quantum science and precision measurements, as well as an accessible pedagogical tool for introducing undergraduate researchers to key techniques and concepts in experimental atomic physics. We describe the development and characterization of a ytterbium ion trap at Middlebury College, suitable for studies involving single atoms and small ion crystals. The apparatus is designed to study the resonant heating rate imposed on a trapped ion by a piezoelectric crystal on a translation stage within the vacuum chamber. While building towards this goal, we performed a series of spectroscopy experiments on ytterbium atoms in hollow cathode lamps and have been exploring alternative photoionization pathways for producing ytterbium ions in the trap.