Patent ID: 8878127
Filing Date: 2014-11-04
Classification: H01J

Abstract:
1. A miniature electrode apparatus for trapping charged particles, the apparatus comprising, along a longitudinal direction: a first end cap electrode; a central electrode having an aperture; and a second end cap electrode, wherein the aperture extends through the central electrode along the longitudinal direction and the central electrode surrounds the aperture in a lateral plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction to define a transverse cavity for trapping charged particles, wherein the aperture in the central electrode is elongated in the lateral plane, having a ratio of a major dimension to a minor dimension greater than 1.5, wherein the transverse cavity defined by the elongated aperture in the central electrode has a vertical dimension 2z wherein the major dimension is the distance of the longest straight line traversing the aperture in the lateral plane and the minor dimension is the distance of the longest straight line traversing the aperture in the lateral plane perpendicular to the line corresponding to the major dimension, wherein the minor dimension is less than 10 mm, and wherein each end cap comprises a planar conductive member having a plurality of holes extending through the conductive member along the longitudinal direction, and wherein a single central electrode is located between the first end cap and the second end cap.