HU/AdSM, Higashi-Hiroshima
Hiroshima University, Faculty of Science, Higashi-Hirosima
An ion plasma confined in a compact trap system is Coulomb crystallized near the absolute zero temperature. The emittance of the crystallized ion plasma is close to the ultimate limit, far below those of any regular ion beams. This implies that, if we can somehow accelerate a crystal without serious heating, an ion beam of extremely low emittance becomes available*. Such ultra-low emittance beams, even if the current is low, can be used for diverse purposes including precise single ion implantation to various materials and for systematic studies of radiation damage effects on semiconductors and bio-molecules. We performed proof-of-principle experiments on the extraction of Coulomb crystals from a linear Paul trap system developed at Hiroshima University. A string crystal of 40Ca+ ions is produced with the Doppler laser cooling technique and then extracted by switching DC potentials on the trap electrodes. We demonstrate that it is possible to transport the ultra-low temperature ion chain keeping its ordered configuration.
* M. Kano et al., J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. 73, No.3, 760 (2004).
