13 research outputs found
Penning traps with unitary architecture for storage of highly charged ions
Penning traps are made extremely compact by embedding rare-earth permanent
magnets in the electrode structure. Axially-oriented NdFeB magnets are used in
unitary architectures that couple the electric and magnetic components into an
integrated structure. We have constructed a two- magnet Penning trap with
radial access to enable the use of laser or atomic beams, as well as the
collection of light. An experimental apparatus equipped with ion optics is
installed at the NIST electron beam ion trap (EBIT) facility, constrained to
fit within 1 meter at the end of a horizontal beamline for transporting highly
charged ions. Highly charged ions of neon and argon, extracted with initial
energies up to 4000 eV per unit charge, are captured and stored to study the
confinement properties of a one-magnet trap and a two-magnet trap. Design
considerations and some test results are discussed
Experiments with Highly-Ionized Atoms in Unitary Penning Traps
Highly-ionized atoms with special properties have been proposed for interesting applications, including potential candidates for a new generation of optical atomic clocks at the one part in 1019 level of precision, quantum information processing and tests of fundamental theory. The proposed atomic systems are largely unexplored. Recent developments at NIST are described, including the isolation of highly-ionized atoms at low energy in unitary Penning traps and the use of these traps for the precise measurement of radiative decay lifetimes (demonstrated with a forbidden transition in Kr17+), as well as for studying electron capture processes