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Title: Method and apparatus for confinement of ions in the presence of a neutral gas

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus and method for combining ions with a neutral gas and flowing the mixture with a radial flow component through a magnetic field so that the weakly ionized gas is confined by the neutral gas. When the weakly ionized gas is present in sufficient density, a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma is formed that may be trapped in accordance with the present invention. Applications for a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma exploit the trap`s ability to store and manipulate ionic species in the presence of neutral gas. The trap may be connected to a mass spectrometer thereby permitting species identification after a fixed period of time. Delicate and/or heavy particles such as clusters may be held and studied in a ``gentle`` environment. In addition, the trap can provide a relatively intense, low-energy source of a particular ion species for surface implantation or molecular chemistry. Finally, a long trap may permit spectroscopy of unprecedented accuracy to be performed on ionic species. 4 figs.

Inventors:
;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
678616
Patent Number(s):
US 5,931,986/A/
Application Number:
PAN: 8-696,221
Assignee:
Battelle Memorial Inst., Richland, WA (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC06-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 3 Aug 1999
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
40 CHEMISTRY; TRAPS; IONS; CONFINEMENT; WEAKLY IONIZED GASES; MASS SPECTROMETERS; SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats

Peurrung, A J, and Barlow, S E. Method and apparatus for confinement of ions in the presence of a neutral gas. United States: N. p., 1999. Web.
Peurrung, A J, & Barlow, S E. Method and apparatus for confinement of ions in the presence of a neutral gas. United States.
Peurrung, A J, and Barlow, S E. 1999. "Method and apparatus for confinement of ions in the presence of a neutral gas". United States.
@article{osti_678616,
title = {Method and apparatus for confinement of ions in the presence of a neutral gas},
author = {Peurrung, A J and Barlow, S E},
abstractNote = {The present invention is an apparatus and method for combining ions with a neutral gas and flowing the mixture with a radial flow component through a magnetic field so that the weakly ionized gas is confined by the neutral gas. When the weakly ionized gas is present in sufficient density, a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma is formed that may be trapped in accordance with the present invention. Applications for a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma exploit the trap`s ability to store and manipulate ionic species in the presence of neutral gas. The trap may be connected to a mass spectrometer thereby permitting species identification after a fixed period of time. Delicate and/or heavy particles such as clusters may be held and studied in a ``gentle`` environment. In addition, the trap can provide a relatively intense, low-energy source of a particular ion species for surface implantation or molecular chemistry. Finally, a long trap may permit spectroscopy of unprecedented accuracy to be performed on ionic species. 4 figs.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/678616}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 03 00:00:00 EDT 1999},
month = {Tue Aug 03 00:00:00 EDT 1999}
}