K. OSullivan | Searcharxiv

arXiv2007

Observation of single collisionally cooled trapped ions in a buffer gas

Individual Ba ions are trapped in a gas-filled linear ion trap and observed with a high signal-to-noise ratio by resonance fluorescence. Single-ion storage times of ~5 min (~1 min) are achieved using He (Ar) as a buffer gas at pressures in the range 8e-5 - 4e-3 torr. Trap dynamics in buffer gases are experimentally studied in the simple case of single ions. In particular, the cooling effects of light gases such as He and Ar and the destabilizing properties of heavier gases such as Xe are studied. A simple model is offered to explain the observed phenomenology.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2007

A linear RFQ ion trap for the Enriched Xenon Observatory

The design, construction, and performance of a linear radio-frequency ion trap (RFQ) intended for use in the Enriched Xenon Observatory (EXO) are described. EXO aims to detect the neutrinoless double-beta decay of $^{136}$Xe to $^{136}$Ba. To suppress possible backgrounds EXO will complement the measurement of decay energy and, to some extent, topology of candidate events in a Xe filled detector with the identification of the daughter nucleus ($^{136}$Ba). The ion trap described here is capable of accepting, cooling, and confining individual Ba ions extracted from the site of the candidate double-beta decay event. A single trapped ion can then be identified, with a large signal-to-noise ratio, via laser spectroscopy.

physics.ins-det↗