Abstract
AN analysis of the motion of a charged particle in a non-uniform radio-frequency field has been made and has shown that under certain conditions particles of either sign will experience an acceleration towards the position of least electric field strength. In 1957, Boot and Harvie reported the observation of a force on charged particles in an inhomogeneous electric field, which originated from second-order terms of the equation for the Lorentz force on the particles. Almost immediately it was realized that this 'ponderomotive force' could be used to trap and control electrons. But the force is weak: only with the development of modern laser technology is the ponderomotive force being exploited in new particle-acceleration techniques and inertial confinement fusion.
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