Radiofrequency Spectroscopy of Stored Ions I: Storage

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ways to develop techniques to isolate, contain in a trap, thermalize, and possibly refrigerate the atomic systems under observation. The electrons move along bound orbits that are characterized by three frequencies. In ultrahigh vacuums, a beam of low-energy electrons is reflected upon itself. Temporary trapping occurs by the transformation of longitudinal kinetic energy into transverse because of e–e collisions. By providing simultaneously a radiative damping mechanism, the trapping is made permanent. Because ion–ion collisions cannot transform energy of the motion of the center of mass into the kinetic energy of the relative motion of the ions, no energy absorption from the field can take place. The ions having been formed by fast ions passing on their charge to thermal atoms may, independent of the collision parameter, be assumed to be initially at rest in good approximation. No energy input into the self-regenerating ion cloud occurs because of the collision process.