Abstract
Providing ideal conditions for the study of ion-neutral collisions, we investigate here the properties of the saturated, steady state of a three-dimensional Paul trap, loaded from a magneto-optic trap. In particular, we study three assumptions that are sometimes made under saturated, steady-state conditions: (i) The pseudopotential provides a good approximation for the number, Ns, of ions in the saturation regime, (ii) the maximum of Ns occurs at a loading rate of approximately 1 ion per rf cycle, and (iii) the ion density is approximately constant. We find that none of these assumptions are generally valid. However, based on detailed classical molecular dynamics simulations, and as a function of loading rate and trap control parameter, we show where to find convenient dynamical regimes for ion-neutral collision experiments, or how to rescale to the pseudo-potential predictions. We also investigate the fate of the electrons generated during the loading process and present a new heating mechanism, insertion heating, that in some regimes of trapping and loading may rival and even exceed the rf-heating power of the trap.
Highlights
Since its invention, about two decades ago [1,2], the ion-neutral hybrid trap has developed into a remarkably versatile tool, and excellent reviews are written about it
We investigate the fate of the electrons generated during the loading process and present a new heating mechanism, insertion heating, that in some regimes of trapping and loading may rival and even exceed the rf-heating power of the trap
In addition to testing the three hypotheses listed above, we identify a new heating mechanism, insertion heating, that, in some dynamical regimes, rivals, and may even exceed, the rf heating power in importance
Summary
About two decades ago [1,2], the ion-neutral hybrid trap has developed into a remarkably versatile tool, and excellent reviews are written about it (see, e.g., [3,4]). In the case of ion-neutral collisions, loading the rf ion trap to a saturated steady state [5,13,14]. Looking more closely at the saturation regime of a three-dimensional Paul trap (3DPT), we uncover novel facts, scaling laws, and phenomena that may result in further improvements of measured collision rates. We focus on the 3DPT, and not on the more ubiquitous linear
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