Scalable arrays of rf Paul traps in degenerate Si

We report techniques for the fabrication of multizone linear radio frequency Paul traps that exploit the machinability and electrical conductivity of degenerate silicon. The approach was tested by trapping and laser cooling Mg-24(+) ions in the two following trap geometries: a single-zone two-layer trap and a multizone surface-electrode trap. From the measured ion motional heating rate we determine an electric field spectral density at the ion's position of approximately 1 x 10(-10) (V/m)(2).Hz(-1) at omega(z)/2 pi=1.125 MHz when the ion lies 40 mu m above the trap surface. One application of these devices is controlled manipulation of atomic ion qubits, the basis of one form of quantum information processing. [doi:10.1063/1.3254188]