Ion Trap Geometry Research Articles

Tailoring fields of one-sheet and two-sheet planar ion trap mass analyzers

In this paper, a simulation study on tailoring the fields in planar ion trap geometries for making them suitable for mass analysis is presented. Two different planar trap geometries were considered: the first is a One-Sheet Ion Trap Geometry in which the ions are trapped off-plane and the second is a Two-Sheet Ion Trap Geometry in which the ions are trapped in between the two sheets. Both DC and RF potentials were used to trap ions.The fields were tailored to obtain linear trapping fields in these two geometries. This was done by splitting the central electrode into segments and applying suitable DC potentials to them. The potentials were computed using a least square method. The simulations were carried out considering a printed circuit board (PCB) with a Teflon base. The One-Sheet Ion Trap Geometry consists of five electrodes, of which the central electrode is segmented. In Two-Sheet Ion Trap Geometry, each sheet consists of three electrodes, of which the central electrode is segmented.The method outlined in the study is able to tailor fields to be linear as well as mildly superlinear.

Optimization of RF multipole ion trap geometries

Radio-frequency (rf) traps are ideal places to store cold ions for spectroscopic experiments. Specific multipole configurations are suited best for different applications but have to be modified to allow e.g. for a proper overlap of a laser beam waist with the ion cloud. Therefore the corresponding trapping fields should be shaped accordingly. To achieve this goal highly accurate electrical potentials of rf multipole traps and the resulting effective trapping potentials are calculated using the boundary element method (BEM). These calculations are used to evaluate imperfections and to optimize the field geometry. For that purpose the complex fields are reduced to a small set of multipole expansion coefficients. Desirable values for these coefficients are met by systematic changes of real trap dimensions from CAD designs. The effect of misalignment of a linear quadrupole, the optimization of an optically open Paul trap, the influence of steering electrodes (end electrode and ring electrode) on a 22-pole ion trap and the effect of the micro motion on the lowest reachable temperatures in such a trap are discussed.

Comparative Numerical Studies of Ion Traps with Integrated Optical Cavities

We study a range of radio-frequency ion trap geometries and investigate the effect of integrating dielectric cavity mirrors on their trapping potential. We aim to identify ion trap and cavity configurations that are best suited for achieving small cavity volumes and thus large ion-photon coupling as required for scalable quantum information networks. In particular, we investigate the trapping potential distortions caused by the dielectric material of the cavity mirrors for different mirror orientations with respect to the trapping electrodes, as well as for mirror misalignment. We also analyze the effect of the mirror material properties such as dielectric constants and surface conductivity, and study the effect of surface charges on the mirrors. The smallest trapping potential distortions are found if the cavities are aligned along the major symmetry axis of the electrode geometries. These cavity configurations also appear to be the most stable with respect to any mirror misalignment.

An optimized ion trap geometry to measure quadrupole shifts of 171Yb+ clocks

We propose a new ion-trap geometry to carry out accurate measurements of the quadrupole shifts in the 171Yb ion. This trap will minimize the quadrupole shift due to the harmonic component of the confining potential by an order of magnitude. This will be useful to reduce the uncertainties in the clock frequency measurements of the 6s 2S1/2 → 4f136s2 2F7/2 and 6s 2S1/2 → 5d 2D3/2 transitions, from which we can deduce the precise values of the quadrupole moments (Θs) of the 4f136s2 2F7/2 and 5d 2D3/2 states. Moreover, it may be able to affirm the validity of the measured Θ value of the 4f136s2 2F7/2 state, for which three independent theoretical studies defer almost by one order of magnitude from the measurement. We also calculate Θs using the relativistic coupled-cluster (RCC) method. We use these Θ values to estimate the quadrupole shift that can be measured in our proposed ion trap experiment.

A thin wire ion trap to study ion–atom collisions built within a Fabry–Perot cavity

We report on the implementation of a thin wire Paul trap with tungsten wire electrodes for trapping ions. The ion trap geometry, though compact, allows large optical access enabling a moderate finesse Fabry–Perot cavity to be built along the ion trap axis. The design allows a vapor-loaded magneto-optical trap of alkali atoms to be overlapped with trapped atomic or molecular ions. The construction and design of the trap are discussed, and its operating parameters are determined, both experimentally and numerically, for Rb+. The macromotion frequencies of the ion trap for 85Rb+ are determined to be f r = 43 kHz for the radial and f z = 54 kHz for the axial frequencies, for the experimentally determined optimal operating parameters. The destructive off axis ion extraction and detection by ion counting is demonstrated. Finally, evidence for the stabilization and cooling of trapped ions, due to ion–atom interactions, is presented by studying the ion-atom mixture as a function of interaction time. The utility and flexibility of the whole apparatus, for a variety of atomic physics experiments, are discussed in conclusion.

Optimization of two-dimensional ion trap arrays for quantum simulation

The optimization of two-dimensional (2D) lattice ion trap geometries for trapped ion quantum simulation is investigated. The geometry is optimized for the highest ratio of ion–ion interaction rate to decoherence rate. To calculate the electric field of such array geometries a numerical simulation based on a ‘Biot–Savart like law’ method is used. In this article we will focus on square, hexagonal and centre rectangular lattices for optimization. A method for maximizing the homogeneity of trapping site properties over an array is presented for arrays of a range of sizes. We show how both the polygon radii and separations scale to optimize the ratio between the interaction and decoherence rate. The optimal polygon radius and separation for a 2D lattice is found to be a function of the ratio between radio-frequency (rf) voltage and drive frequency applied to the array. We then provide a case study for 171Yb+ ions to show how a 2D quantum simulator array could be designed.

Optimization of a quadrupole ion storage trap as a source for time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Designs of a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) as a source for time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometry are evaluated for mass resolution, ion trapping, and laser activation of trapped ions. Comparisons are made with the standard hyperbolic electrode ion trap geometry for TOF mass analysis in both linear and reflectron modes. A parallel-plate design for the QIT is found to give significantly improved TOF mass spectrometer performance. Effects of ion temperature, trapped ion cloud size, mass, and extraction field on mass resolution are investigated in detail by simulation of the TOF peak profiles. Mass resolution (m/Δm) values of several thousand are predicted even at room temperature with moderate extraction fields for the optimized design. The optimized design also allows larger radial ion collection size compared with the hyperbolic ion trap, without compromising the mass resolution. The proposed design of the QIT also improves the ion-laser interaction volume and photon collection efficiency for fluorescence measurements on trapped ions.

Optimum electrode configurations for fast ion separation in microfabricated surface ion traps

For many quantum information implementations with trapped ions, effective shuttling operations are important. Here we discuss the efficient separation and recombination of ions in surface ion trap geometries. The maximum speed of separation and recombination of trapped ions for adiabatic shuttling operations depends on the secular frequencies the trapped ion experiences in the process. Higher secular frequencies during the transportation processes can be achieved by optimising trap geometries. We show how two different arrangements of segmented static potential electrodes in surface ion traps can be optimised for fast ion separation or recombination processes. We also solve the equations of motion for the ion dynamics during the separation process and illustrate important considerations that need to be taken into account to make the process adiabatic.

Kinetics of a single trapped ion in an ultracold buffer gas

The immersion of a single ion confined by a radiofrequency (RF) trap in an ultracold atomic gas extends the concept of buffer gas cooling to a new temperature regime. The steady-state energy distribution of the ion is determined by its kinetics in the RF field rather than the temperature of the buffer gas. Moreover, the finite size of the ultracold gas facilitates the observation of back-action of the ion onto the buffer gas. We numerically investigate the system's properties depending on atom–ion mass ratio, trap geometry, differential cross-section and non-uniform neutral atom density distribution. Experimental results are well reproduced by our model considering only elastic collisions. We identify excess micromotion to set the typical scale for the ion energy statistics and explore the applicability of the mobility collision cross-section to the ultracold regime.

Theoretical study of the effect of ion trap geometry on the dynamic behavior of ions in a Paul trap

The influence of the ion trap geometrical shape, ring and end-cap electrodes, on the dynamical behavior of the confined ions is studied. At first by considering the geometrical parameter z 0 = ( 1 / n ) r 0 , where n is a real number, in the quadrupole potential, we solve Mathieu's differential equation for the first stability region using the six-order Runge–Kutta method. The numerical results show that, for a given ion trap mode i.e., rf only mode, the electrode geometry plays an important role both in higher ion mass confinement range and in a higher fractional mass resolution m/Δ m.

A Robust Error Model for iTRAQ Quantification Reveals Divergent Signaling between Oncogenic FLT3 Mutants in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase plays an important role in normal hematopoietic development and leukemogenesis. Point mutations within the activation loop and in-frame tandem duplications of the juxtamembrane domain represent the most frequent molecular abnormalities observed in acute myeloid leukemia. Interestingly these gain-of-function mutations correlate with different clinical outcomes, suggesting that signals from constitutive FLT3 mutants activate different downstream targets. In principle, mass spectrometry offers a powerful means to quantify protein phosphorylation and identify signaling events associated with constitutively active kinases or other oncogenic events. However, regulation of individual phosphorylation sites presents a challenging case for proteomics studies whereby quantification is based on individual peptides rather than an average across different peptides derived from the same protein. Here we describe a robust experimental framework and associated error model for iTRAQ-based quantification on an Orbitrap mass spectrometer that relates variance of peptide ratios to mass spectral peak height and provides for assignment of p value, q value, and confidence interval to every peptide identification, all based on routine measurements, obviating the need for detailed characterization of individual ion peaks. Moreover, we demonstrate that our model is stable over time and can be applied in a manner directly analogous to ubiquitously used external mass calibration routines. Application of our error model to quantitative proteomics data for FLT3 signaling provides evidence that phosphorylation of tyrosine phosphatase SHP1 abrogates the transformative potential, but not overall kinase activity, of FLT3-D835Y in acute myeloid leukemia.

Stylus ion trap for enhanced access and sensing

Small, controllable, highly accessible quantum systems can serve as probes at the single-quantum level to study a number of physical effects, for example in quantum optics or for electric- and magnetic-field sensing. The applicability of trapped atomic ions as probes is highly dependent on the measurement situation at hand and thus calls for specialized traps. Previous approaches for ion traps with enhanced optical access included traps consisting of a single ring electrode1,2 or two opposing endcap electrodes2,3. Other possibilities are planar trap geometries, which have been investigated for Penning traps4,5 and radiofrequency trap arrays6,7,8. By not having the electrodes lie in a common plane, the optical access can be substantially increased. Here, we report the fabrication and experimental characterization of a novel radiofrequency ion trap geometry. It has a relatively simple structure and provides largely unrestricted optical and physical access to the ion, of up to 96% of the total 4π solid angle in one of the three traps tested. The trap might find applications in quantum optics and field sensing. As a force sensor, we estimate sensitivity to forces smaller than 1 yN Hz−1/2.

Surface Planar Ion Chip for Linear Radio-Frequency Paul Traps

We propose a surface planar ion chip which forms a linear radiofrequency Paul ion trap. The electrodes reside in the two planes of achip, and the trap axis is located above the chip surface. Its electricfield and potential distribution are similar to the standard linearradio frequency Paul ion trap. This ion trap geometry may be greatlymeaningful for quantum information processing.

Experimental investigation of planar ion traps

Chiaverini et al. [Quant. Inf. Comput. 5, 419 (2005)] recently suggested a linear Paul trap geometry for ion trap quantum computation that places all of the electrodes in a plane. Such planar ion traps are compatible with modern semiconductor fabrication techniques and can be scaled to make compact, many zone traps. In this paper we present an experimental realization of planar ion traps using electrodes on a printed circuit board to trap linear chains of tens of 0.44 micron diameter charged particles in a vacuum of 15 Pa (0.1 torr). With these traps we address concerns about the low trap depth of planar ion traps and develop control electrode layouts for moving ions between trap zones without facing some of the technical difficulties involved in an atomic ion trap experiment. Specifically, we use a trap with 36 zones (77 electrodes) arranged in a cross to demonstrate loading from a traditional four rod linear Paul trap, linear ion movement, splitting and joining of ion chains, and movement of ions through intersections. We further propose an additional DC biased electrode above the trap which increases the trap depth dramatically, and a novel planar ion trap geometry that generates a two dimensional lattice of point Paul traps.

Geometry optimization for the cylindrical ion trap: field calculations, simulations and experiments

Optimization of ion trap geometries for best analytical performance was studied in the specific case of the cylindrical ion trap (CIT). An optimization procedure was developed based on field calculations and simulations of ion motion. The electric field inside the CIT was calculated by using the Poisson/Superfish software package and geometrical effects, specifically the half thickness of the ring electrode ( z b), the spacing ( d s) between the ring electrode and the end-cap electrode, and the end-cap hole radius ( r H), were systematically investigated. Appropriate compensation for higher-order field components, namely octapolar and dodecapolar fields, was achieved by refining the CIT geometry and improved mass resolution in scans using boundary and resonance ejection. Resolution for different CIT geometries was measured in both simulations and experiments and was evaluated from the separation between the major isotope peaks of 1,3-dichlorobenzene at m/ z 146 and 148. Optimization of the CIT electric field via simple geometry changes involved exploration of several geometries and simulations using the ion trap simulation program (ITSIM) were used to confirm the results for each geometry and to predict experimental performance. Experiments are reported that confirm the enhanced performance achieved using the CITs optimized using the procedure developed in this study.

Planar ion trap geometry for microfabrication

We describe a novel high aspect ratio radiofrequency linear ion trap geometry that is amenable to modern microfabrication techniques. The ion trap electrode structure consists of a pair of stacked conducting cantilevers resulting in confining fields that take the form of fringe fields from parallel plate capacitors. The confining potentials are modeled both analytically and numerically. This ion trap geometry may form the basis for large scale quantum computers or parallel quadrupole mass spectrometers.

On the detailed mechanisms of collision-induced dissociation experiments performed by electrospray ion trap.

The product ion spectra obtained by electrospray ionization (ESI) ion trap instruments exhibit a higher number of fragment ions than those achieved by other ion-trap-based systems, indicating the presence of more effective energy deposition mechanisms. This behavior can be attributed to several different reasons, among which different initial internal energy of the precursor ions, pre-activation due to collisions taking place outside the trap, different target gas mixtures inside the trap, and different ion trap geometry were considered. Data obtained from experiments using a triple quadrupole instrument, CI-ion trap, and ESI-ion trap have been compared. The results so achieved seem to indicate that the presence inside the trap of neutral molecules of the solvent employed for the ESI process have a relevant role, promoting high energy deposition in the colliding ions.

Control of chemical mass shifts in the quadrupole ion trap through selection of resonance ejection working point and rf scan direction

Compound-dependent chemical mass shifts are observed and their origin is elucidated in a modified Finnigan GCQ quadrupole ion trap mass spectrometer. The dependence of chemical mass shifts on ion trap geometry, specifically the center to end-cap spacing, z0, and the size of the apertures in the end caps, is demonstrated. The effects of the working point (qeject value) used for resonance ejection and the direction of the rf mass analysis scan are also studied, and the results are found to be in agreement with a previously proposed model for the chemical mass shift mechanism. It is shown that chemical mass shifts are present when resonance ejection is used, unless the qeject is chosen to correspond to a nonlinear resonance point, where the shifts are removed. The shifts are also removed by performing the mass analysis scan in the reverse direction, i.e., from high mass to low mass.

Laser ablation ion-storage time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A new mass spectrometer system was developed for studying laser ablation and performing analytical chemistry. The system is based on an ion trap geometry used in ion-storage (IS) mode, coupled with a reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOFMS). The LA-IS/TOF-MS can be used for MALDI or direct ionization of samples on a probe tip. The system configuration and related operating principles for accurately measuring low concentrations of isotopes will be described. Preliminary measurements identified ultra-trace contaminants of Ag, Sn, and Sb in a Pb target with single laser-shot experiments. Survey analyses of uranyl acetate, hair samples, and mushrooms demonstrated that this technology can be applied to a wide range of sample materials.

Linear excitation and detection in Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry

We present the first Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) ion trap designed to produce both a linear spatial variation of the excitation electric potential field and a linear response of the detection circuit to the motion of the confined ions. With this trap, the magnitude of the detected signal at a given ion cyclotron frequency varies linearly with both the number of ions of given mass-to-charge ratio and also with the magnitude-mode excitation signal at the ion cyclotron orbital frequency; the proportionality constant is mass independent. Interestingly, this linearization may be achieved with any ion trap geometry. The excitation/detection design consists of an array of capacitively coupled electrodes which provide a voltage-divider network that produces a nearly spatially homogeneous excitation electric field throughout the linearized trap; resistive coupling to the electrodes isolates the a.c. excitation (or detection) circuit from the d.c. (trapping) potential. The design is based on analytical expressions for the potential associated with each electrode, from which we are able to compute the deviation from linearity for a trap with a finite number of elements. Based on direct experimental comparisons to an unmodified cubic trap, the linearized trap demonstrates the following performance advantages at the cost of some additional mechanical complexity: (a) signal response linearly proportional to excitation electric field amplitude; (b) vastly reduced axial excitation/ejection for significantly improved ion relative abundance accuracy; (c) elimination of harmonics and sidebands of the fundamental frequencies of ion motion. As a result, FT-ICR mass spectra are now more reproducible. Moreover, the linearized trap should facilitate the characterization of other fundamental aspects of ion behavior in an ICR ion trap, e.g. effects of space charge, non-quadrupolar electrostatic trapping field, etc. Furthermore, this novel design should improve significantly the precision of ion relative abundance and mass accuracy measurements, while removing spectral artifacts of the detection process. We discuss future modifications that linearize the spatial variation of the electrostatic trapping electric field as well, thereby completing the linearization of the entire FT-ICR mass spectrometric techniques. Suggested FT-ICR mass spectrometric applications for the linearized trap are discussed.