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Simulation of an octupole Paul trap
The goal of this semester project is to simulate a trap geometry that presents a non quadratic potential.
Paul traps have long been used for ion trapping [1]. Recently, their use has been extended to the
trapping of massive particles [2]. Silica nanoparticles, commonly trapped optically, are an example. However the geometry of a linear Paul trap limits the optical access and thus restricts the numerical aperture of the trapping beam, which ultimately affects the performances of the optical optical trap. A workaround is the design of a planar Paul trap [3].
This modification paves the way for a hybrid (electrical and optical) trapping scheme that reduces absorption and scattering and thus allows trapping of more absorbing particles [4]. However, for both traps, the trapping potential is quadratic. Introducing nonlinearities, through quartic potentials for example, is interesting to generate non Gaussian states [5]. With this new objective, a further modification of the Paul trap design is required.
The goal of this semester project is to simulate a trap geometry that presents a non quadratic
potential. You will start from the current design of the wheel Paul trap and adapt the geometry from four to eight electrodes. A study of the generated potential will lead you to determine the adequate dimensions of the trap to obtain quartic terms. During the project, you will get acquainted with the use of COMSOL. You should have a solid understanding of electromagnetism and a strong interest in simulations and design. Furthermore, you should have a quantitative approach and be a critical and independent thinker who enjoys to contribute to a larger research effort of a team.
References:
[1] Paul, Rev. Mod. Phys. 62, 531 (1990)
[2] Dania et al., Phys. Rev. Research 3.1 (2021)
[3] Chen et al., Physical Review Letters 118 (5): 053002 (2017)
[4] Conangla et al., Nano letters 18.6 (2018)
[5] Walschaers, PRX Quantum 2.3 (2021): 030204.
Prerequisites:
Good knowledge of and strong interest in electromagnetism, simulations skills,
quantitative approach.
Paul traps have long been used for ion trapping [1]. Recently, their use has been extended to the trapping of massive particles [2]. Silica nanoparticles, commonly trapped optically, are an example. However the geometry of a linear Paul trap limits the optical access and thus restricts the numerical aperture of the trapping beam, which ultimately affects the performances of the optical optical trap. A workaround is the design of a planar Paul trap [3]. This modification paves the way for a hybrid (electrical and optical) trapping scheme that reduces absorption and scattering and thus allows trapping of more absorbing particles [4]. However, for both traps, the trapping potential is quadratic. Introducing nonlinearities, through quartic potentials for example, is interesting to generate non Gaussian states [5]. With this new objective, a further modification of the Paul trap design is required. The goal of this semester project is to simulate a trap geometry that presents a non quadratic potential. You will start from the current design of the wheel Paul trap and adapt the geometry from four to eight electrodes. A study of the generated potential will lead you to determine the adequate dimensions of the trap to obtain quartic terms. During the project, you will get acquainted with the use of COMSOL. You should have a solid understanding of electromagnetism and a strong interest in simulations and design. Furthermore, you should have a quantitative approach and be a critical and independent thinker who enjoys to contribute to a larger research effort of a team.