IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,489,456
Granted Patent B2
US 12,489,456 · App. 18/400,354 · Granted Dec 2, 2025

Relating to methods for digital to analogue converters in surface ion traps

Inventors: Zak David Romaszko (Brighton, GB); Iain McIntosh Hunter (Brighton, GB); Harold Godwin (Brighton, GB)
Assignees: Universal Quantum Ltd; University of Sussex
H03M1/66G06N10/40G06F1/04G06F1/08G06N10/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,489,456
App. No.
18/400,354
Granted
Dec 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A surface ion trap comprising a plurality of electrodes and DACs, each electrode being controlled by a DAC, wherein a first set of DACs control the electrodes configured to trap an ion in a first area and a second set of DACs control the electrodes configured to trap an ion in a second area wherein the first set of DACs are configured to operate with low noise and low bandwidth and the second set of DACs are configured to operate with a high bandwidth and high noise.

Claims (19)

1 . An ion trap comprising a plurality of electrodes and DACs, each electrode being controlled by a DAC, wherein a first set of DACs controls the electrodes configured to trap an ion in a first area and a second set of DACs controls the electrodes configured to trap an ion in a second area, and wherein the first set of DACs is configured to operate with low noise and the second set of DACs is configured to operate with a high bandwidth.

2 . An ion trap according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of DACs is configured to operate with low noise and low bandwidth and the second set of DACs is configured to operate with a high bandwidth and high noise.

3 . An ion trap according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of DACs is a different type of DAC from the second set of DACs.

4 . An ion trap according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an additional set of electrodes also configured to trap ions in the first area; and

a third set of DACs,

wherein each of the third set of DACs is configured to control an electrode of the additional set of electrodes, and wherein the third set of DACs is configured to operate with high bandwidth and high noise.

5 . An ion trap according to claim 4 , wherein the additional electrodes are interleaved with at least some of the plurality of electrodes.

6 . An ion trap according to claim 1 , wherein the first set of DACs is the same type of DAC as the second set of DACs, and wherein each DAC in the first set of DACs and second set of DACs comprises two modes of operation: a first mode with low noise and low bandwidth and a second mode with high noise and high bandwidth.

7 . An ion trap according to claim 6 , wherein each DAC in the first set of DACs and second set of DACs comprises an output, a first sub-DAC, and a second sub-DAC, and wherein one or more of (i) an output switch connected to one or more of the sub-DACs, (ii) a power switch connected to the one or more of the sub-DACs, or (iii) an analogue summing of the sub-DACs is configured to select the output.

8 . An ion trap according to claim 7 , wherein the first sub-DAC comprises capacitive architecture and the second sub-DAC comprises resistive architecture.

9 . An ion trap according to claim 6 , wherein each DAC in the first set of DACs and second set of DACs comprises a precision code portion for operating in the first mode with low noise and low bandwidth and a second fast code portion for operating in the second mode with high noise and high bandwidth, the ion trap further comprising a switch for switching between the precision code portion and the fast code portion.

10 . An ion trap according to claim 6 , wherein the first mode comprises a feedback loop.

11 . An ion trap according to claim 10 , wherein the feedback loop comprises a proportional integrative derivative controller configured to control the output to a reference output.

12 . An ion trap according to claim 10 , wherein the feedback loop comprises a variable gain stage.

13 . An ion trap according to claim 6 , wherein each DAC in the first set of DACs and a second set of DACs uses selectable compensation.

14 . An ion trap according to claim 1 , wherein the ion trap is a surface ion trap.

15 . An ion trap quantum computer comprising:

an ion trap comprising a plurality of electrodes and DACs, each electrode being controlled by a DAC, wherein a first set of DACs controls the electrodes configured to trap an ion in a first area and a second set of DACs controls the electrodes configured to trap an ion in a second area, and wherein the first set of DACs is configured to operate with low noise and the second set of DACs is configured to operate with a high bandwidth.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 28, 2026
From: THE UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
To: UNIVERSAL QUANTUM LTD
Reel/Frame 074790/0575 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE RECEIVING PARTY PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 71441 FRAME: 103. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded May 18, 2026
From: ROMASZKO, ZAK DAVID; HUNTER, IAIN MCINTOSH; GODWIN, HAROLD
To: UNIVERSITY OF SUSSEX
Reel/Frame 075583/0588 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 17, 2025
From: ROMASZKO, ZAK DAVID; HUNTER, IAIN MCINTOSH; GODWIN, HAROLD
To: SUSSEX, UNIVERSITY OF; UNIVERSAL QUANTUM LTD
Reel/Frame 071441/0103 →
Priority Claims (1)
GB 2109471 · Jun 30, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTGB2022051688 · Jun 30, 2022
Related Publication 20240214001A1 · Jun 27, 2024
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