Ultra-low vibration closed-cycle cryogenic surface-electrode ion trap apparatus

We describe the design, commissioning and operation of an ultra-low vibration closed-cycle cryogenic ion trap apparatus. 100 DC connection lines, 10 of which are suitable for currents up to 1 A, and eight microwave / rf coaxial feed lines offer the possibility of implementing a small-scale ion-trap quantum processor or simulator. With all supply cables attached, more than 1.3 W of cooling power at 5 K is still available for absorbing energy from electrical pulses introduced to control ions. The trap itself is protected from vibrations induced by the cold head using a helium exchange gas interface. The performance of the vibration isolation system has been characterized using a Michelson interferometer, finding residual vibration amplitudes on the order of 10 nm rms. Trapping of $^9$Be$^+$ ions has been demonstrated using a combination of laser ablation and photoionization.