Two Improvements to the Canadian Penning Trap System

Abstract

The Canadian Penning Trap (CPT) is a high precision mass spectrometer operating on-line at the Argonne Tandem Linac System (ATLAS). As part of a project to modify and improve the CPT system, a quadrupole deflector was simulated and designed, and the efficiency of the currently used Microchannel Plate (MCP) system was explored. The quadrupole is a necessary component for flexible alteration of the ion beam line for the future installment of the Advanced Penning Trap (APT). After modeling various quadrupoles, a circular plus shim electrode combination was settled upon. While the estimated voltages differ slightly from similar existing models, this design still functions successfully. The MCP currently has an absolute efficiency of about 50% and it was felt this could be improved. Through literary research it was determined that floating the voltage of the MCP system was the most efficacious way to increase the efficiency of the detector. Experiments to verify this are currently underway. It was also determined that the addition of a grid in front of the MCP would most likely have little positive effect on the efficiency of the system.