Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
10:42
Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
Published on: May 3, 2019
High precision high voltage divider and its application to electron beam ion traps
1Shanghai EBIT Laboratory, Institute of Modern Physics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, People's Republic of China.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|January 7, 2009
Summary
A new high-precision voltage divider was developed for electron beam ion traps. This device minimizes uncertainties from resistance coefficients, achieving parts-per-million (ppm) precision for ion energy measurements.
Area of Science:
- Atomic Physics
- Plasma Physics
- High Voltage Engineering
Background:
- Electron beam ion traps (EBIT) require precise voltage control for experiments.
- Minimizing uncertainties in voltage measurements is crucial for accurate spectroscopic analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a high-precision high-voltage divider for an electron beam ion trap.
- To minimize uncertainties caused by temperature and voltage coefficients of resistance.
- To apply the divider in measuring dielectronic recombination processes in highly charged ions.
Main Methods:
- Developed a high-precision high-voltage divider.
- Studied and minimized temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) and voltage coefficient of resistance.
- Matched TCR between resistors to achieve ppm-level precision.
- Measured divider delay caused by capacitance.
Main Results:
- Achieved voltage division precision in the parts-per-million (ppm) range.
- Minimized uncertainties from TCR and voltage coefficient of resistance to ppm levels.
- Measured a divider delay of 2.35 ms.
- Applied the divider to measure resonant energies for dielectronic recombination in highly charged xenon ions with high accuracy (mostly under 0.03% correction).
Conclusions:
- The developed high-precision voltage divider meets the stringent requirements for advanced atomic physics experiments.
- The methodology for minimizing resistance-related uncertainties is effective for achieving ppm-level precision.
- The divider's application in measuring dielectronic recombination processes demonstrates its utility and accuracy.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Mass Analyzers: Common Types
The quadrupole mass analyzer consists of four cylindrical metal rods arranged in a diamond carrying a DC voltage and a radio-frequency AC voltage. The motion of ions through the quadrupole depends on the field strength, causing only ions of a certain m/z to resonate successfully and strike the detector at a given field strength. Though the transmission rate for these analyzers is high, the exact elemental composition of the sample is not determined because of low resolution; however, they are...
01:13Mass Analyzers: Overview
The mass analyzer is a crucial component of the mass spectrometer. In the ionization chamber, the vaporized sample is bombarded with a high-energy electron beam to generate a radical cation and further fragment into neutral molecules, radicals, and cations. A series of negatively charged accelerator plates accelerate the cations into the mass analyzer. The mass analyzer separates ions according to their mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios and then directs them to the detector. The common types of mass...
01:20Capillary Electrophoresis: Instrumentation
Capillary electrophoresis instrumentation typically consists of several key components. A high-voltage power supply generates the electric field necessary for the separation by connecting to an anode (the positively charged electrode) and a cathode (the negatively charged electrode) located in buffer reservoirs at each end of the capillary tube. The system includes a sample vial, a fused silica capillary tube coated with polyimide for mechanical strength through which the sample components...
01:15Transmission Electron Microscopy
In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
01:19Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview
In inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP–MS), an inductively coupled plasma (ICP) torch is used as an atomizer and ionizer. Solid samples are dissolved and volatilized before being introduced into the high-temperature argon plasma, while solution samples are nebulized and passed through the high-temperature argon plasma. Plasma dissociates the analytes and ionizes their component atoms to form a mixture of positive ions and molecular species. The positive ions are then passed on to...