Ba+ neutralization fraction in SXe deposits under present experimental conditions

Quantify the fraction of Ba+ ions that become neutralized to Ba during the present SXe deposition and imaging conditions, to properly interpret the reported percentage of deposited Ba+ ions that are imaged as single Ba atoms.

Background

The authors find that only a few percent of Ba+ ions deposited into SXe in vacuum are subsequently imaged as single Ba atoms. However, the interpretation of this efficiency is complicated by an unknown degree of neutralization to Ba during deposition and processing.

Resolving this fraction is essential for optimizing the method and for understanding the charge-state dynamics that influence single-atom imaging yields.