3D-printable Quadrupole Ion Trap
Build a 3D printed quadropole ion trap and trap electrically charged macroscopic particles such as cinnamon of lycopodium spores.
Description
Quadrupole ion traps are advanced research tools used in mass spectrometry, atomic clocks and antimatter research at CERN. This activity introduces a 3D-printed version of the trap that can capture macroscopic electrically charged particles, such as lycopodium or cinnamon spores.
Using high-voltage AC power and a stroboscopic lighting system, students can observe the trapped particles in motion and explore the physics of electric fields. This activity is supported by a student worksheet and teacher manual designed for high school and university settings.
The GBAR experiment at CERN uses an ion trap to capture anti-hydrogen ions and study how gravity affects antimatter. Find out more about the GBAR experiment here.
Material List
To Build
Click here to download the manual, which includes the full list and 3D printing files.
- 3D-printed components
- Electronic components (< 50 EUR)
- Conductive paint and brush
- Soldering iron
To Operate
- Lycopodium powder or similar (approx. 10 EUR)
- Wooden skewers to place the spores inside the trap
- 3 kV AC voltage (50 Hz), for example, 20 V AC power supply and transformer 1:200 (coils with N1 = 50, N2 = 10000)
- Multimeter
- Optional: perspex tube to protect the trap from air movement
Instructions
Click here to download a manual with the full description.
To Build
- 3D print the trap components and assemble them
- Paint the relevant components with conductive paint to form the electrodes
- Connect electronic components according to the provided circuit diagram
- Use the soldering iron as needed to complete
To Operate
- Set up the trap and increase the voltage to ~2.0 kV
- Dim the room lights and switch on the stroboscopic LED illumination
- Use skewers to sprinkle spores above the ring electrode
- If the spores are not levitating, increase voltage slightly and repeat
- Observe and describe the motion of the spores in the trap
- This experiment uses high voltage. It must only be performed under the supervision of a qualified adult or teacher.
- The user is responsible for ensuring that all local safety regulations are followed.
Suggestion for Educators
- Click here to watch a video of the assembly process.
- A worksheet is provided which includes solutions and more information on the physics behind these traps. Click here to download the worksheets.