PAUL-STRAUBEL-KINGDON TRAP FOR TRUE ZERO-POINT CONFINEMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL ION AND RESERVOIR

A modification of the Paul-Straubel trap previously described by us ma y profitably be operated in a Paul-Straubel-Kingdon (PSK) mode during the initial loading of an individual ion into the trap, Thereby the co ating of the trap ring electrode by the atomic beam directed upon it i n earlier experiments is eliminated, as is the ionization of an alread y trapped ion, Coating created serious problems as it spot-wise change d the work function of the ring electrode, which caused large, uncontr olled de fields in the trap center that prevented zero-point confineme nt. Operating the Paul-Straubel trap with a small negative bias on the ring electrode wire is all that is required to realize the PSK mode, In this mode the tiny ring trap in the center of the long, straight wi re section is surrounded by a second trapping well shaped like a long, thin walled cylindrical shell and extending to the end-caps. There, i ons may be conveniently created in this well without danger of coating the ring with barium. In addition, the long second well is useful as a multi-ion reservoir.