  Highly efficient, nearly deterministic, and isotope selective generation of
Yb$^+$ ions by 1- and 2-color photoionization is demonstrated. State
preparation and state selective detection of hyperfine states in \ybodd is
investigated in order to optimize the purity of the prepared state and to
time-optimize the detection process. Linear laser cooled Yb$^+$ ion crystals
ions confined in a Paul trap are demonstrated. Advantageous features of
different previous ion trap experiments are combined while at the same time the
number of possible error sources is reduced by using a comparatively simple
experimental apparatus. This opens a new path towards quantum state
manipulation of individual trapped ions, and in particular, to scalable quantum
computing.
