Apparatus for trapping uncharged multi-pole particles
AssigneeLucent Technologies Inc.
InventorStanley Pau
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for trapping uncharged multi-pole particles comprises a bound cavity for receiving the particles, and a multiplicity of electrodes coupled to the cavity for producing an electric field in the cavity. In a preferred embodiment, the electrodes are configured to produce in the electric field potential both a multi-pole (e.g., dipole) component that aligns the particles predominantly along an axis of the cavity and a higher order multi-pole (e.g., hexapole) component that forms a trapping region along the axis. In one embodiment, the electrodes and/or the particles are cooled to a cryogenic temperature.
Claims20
Apparatus for trapping uncharged multi-pole particles comprising:
- a bound cavity for receiving said particles, and
- a multiplicity of electrodes coupled to said cavity for producing an electric field potential in said cavity in response to oscillating voltages applied to at least two of said electrodes,
- said electrodes being configured to produce in said electric field potential a multi-pole first component that forms a trapping region within said cavity, said first component being a hexapole or higher order component.
Apparatus for trapping uncharged multi-pole particles comprising:
- a bound cavity for receiving said particles,
- means for aligning said particles predominantly along a predetermined axis within said cavity, and
- a multiplicity of electrodes coupled to said cavity for producing an electric field potential in said cavity in response to oscillating voltages applied to at least two of said electrodes,
- said electrodes being configured to produce in said electric field potential a multi-pole first component that forms a trapping region along said axis.
Apparatus for trapping uncharged dipole particles comprising,
- a vacuum chamber including a bound cavity, said cavity having ports for allowing ingress and egress of said particles,
- a multiplicity of electrodes coupled to said cavity for producing an electric field potential within said cavity in response to oscillating voltages applied to at least two of said electrodes,
- said electrodes being concentric along a common axis and being configured to produce in said electric field potential both a dipole component for aligning the particles predominantly along said axis and a hexapole component for forming a trapping region within said cavity, the potential of said dipole component being greater than that of said hexapole component, and
- means for cooling said electrodes, chamber and/or particles to a cryogenic temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.