Patent ID: 7807963

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of electrodes defining a trapping chamber of an ion trap, wherein at least one of the electrodes is a transparent electrode having at least a portion that is both optically transparent and electrically conductive, wherein the transparent electrode is an optically transparent material having a coating that is both optically transparent and electrically conductive; a controller connected to the plurality of electrodes, wherein the controller includes a memory containing computer readable instructions which, when executed, cause the controller to send control signals to the plurality of electrodes so that: the plurality of electrodes produce and maintain a trapping field in the trapping chamber; and the plurality of electrodes change the trapping field so that ions of a predetermined mass in the trapping chamber are selectively moved; and an optical detector oriented so that the portion of the transparent electrode that is both optically transparent and electrically conductive is between the optical detector and the trapping chamber.