Virtual Journal of Laser

We report on the design of a segmented linear Paul trap for optical clock applications using trapped ion Coulomb crystals.
For an optical clock with an improved short-term stability and a fractional frequency uncertainty of 10⁻¹⁸, we propose ¹¹⁵In⁺ ions sympathetically cooled by ¹⁷²Yb⁺. We discuss the systematic frequency shifts of such a frequency standard. In particular, we elaborate on high-precision calculations
of the electric radiofrequency field of the ion trap using the finite element method. These calculations are used to find
a scalable design with minimized excess micromotion of the ions at a level at which the corresponding second-order Doppler
shift contributes less than 10⁻¹⁸ to the relative uncertainty of the frequency standard.