Molecular dynamics simulations of micromotion in two dimensional trapped ion systems*

Trapped ion systems are a leading candidate for demonstrating the viability of scalable Quantum Computers (QCs). 1D ion arrays in linear RF traps are a dependable workhorse in this effort, but going to 2 dimensions may be useful and interesting for scaling up the system, and for some quantum simulations.Compared to their 1D counterparts, where the ions can be localized near the RF null to minimize micromotion, in 2D systems the excess micromotion is unavoidable. Micromotion is driven motion that is synchronous with the trapping RF field in a Paul trap. Large micromotion amplitude can impact ionic normal mode structure and laser cooling efficiency. Understanding micromotion and its undesirable effects is a critical step toward using 2D trapped ion crystals as a QC platform.We present Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of a trap specifically designed for trapping 2D crystals to examine the effects of micromotion on crystal configuration stability, laser cooling and melting dynamics in 2D. In our simulated ion trajectories, initial results depict the effects of excess micromotion. In order to match or inform experimental setup to eventually minimize micromotion effects, we are probing optimal adjustments to parameters used in our simulations via symmetry and transitions clues.