Status and Outlook of CHIP-TRAP: the Central Michigan University High Precision Penning Trap

TL;DR

The paper discusses the development of CHIP-TRAP, a high-precision Penning trap system at Central Michigan University designed for accurate mass measurements of long-lived radioactive isotopes, utilizing advanced ion manipulation and detection techniques.

Contribution

It introduces a novel high-precision Penning trap setup with phase-sensitive detection for improved accuracy in radioactive isotope mass measurements.

Findings

Design of a 12 T magnetic field Penning trap system

Implementation of phase-sensitive image charge detection

Potential for reduced statistical uncertainty in measurements

Abstract

At Central Michigan University we are developing a high-precision Penning trap mass spectrometer (CHIP-TRAP)that will focus on measurements with long-lived radioactive isotopes. CHIP-TRAP will consist of a pair of hyperbolic precision-measurement Penning traps, and a cylindrical capture/filter trap in a 12 T magnetic field. Ions will be produced by external ion sources, including a laser ablation source, and transported to the capture trap at low energies enabling ions of a given m=q ratio to be selected via their time-of-flight. In the capture trap, contaminant ions will be removed with a mass-selective rf dipole excitation and the ion of interest will be transported to the measurement traps. A phase-sensitive image charge detection technique will be used for simultaneous cyclotron frequency measurements on single ions in the two precision traps, resulting in a reduction in statistical uncertainty due to magnetic field fluctuations.