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arXiv · 0903.0637

Power-Law Distributions for a Trapped Ion Interacting with a Classical Buffer Gas

Ralph G. Devoe
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Abstract

Classical collisions with an ideal gas generate non-Maxwellian distribution functions for a single ion in a radio frequency ion trap. The distributions have power-law tails whose exponent depends on the ratio of buffer gas to ion mass. This provides a statistical explanation for the previously observed transition from cooling to heating. Monte Carlo results approximate a Tsallis distribution over a wide range of parameters and have ab initio agreement with experiment.

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Ralph G. Devoe. 2009-03-03. Power-Law Distributions for a Trapped Ion Interacting with a Classical Buffer Gas. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.102.063001

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