Penning traps with unitary architecture for storage of highly charged ions

TL;DR

This paper presents a compact Penning trap design using embedded NdFeB magnets in a unitary architecture, enabling efficient storage and manipulation of highly charged ions with improved access and integration.

Contribution

The authors introduce a novel two-magnet Penning trap with integrated electric and magnetic components, demonstrating its construction and initial testing at NIST for storing highly charged ions.

Findings

Successful construction of a compact two-magnet Penning trap

Effective confinement of neon and argon ions at energies up to 4000 eV per charge

Enhanced radial access for laser, atomic beams, and light collection

Abstract

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.