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Experimental realization of a rotating radio-frequency ion trap for precision metrology

Sun Yool Park1,*, Anzhou Wang1, Kia Boon Ng2, Patricia Hector Hernandez1, Addison Hartman1, Tuan Anh Nguyen1, Rohan Kompella1, Michail Athanasakis-Kaklamanakis1, Jun Ye1 et al.

Eric A. Cornell1

  • *Contact author: sun.park@colorado.edu
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Phys. Rev. A 114, L050801 – Published 5 November, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/sxc6-199m

Abstract

We discuss the experimental realization of a rotating radio-frequency (rrf) trap, proposed by Hasegawa and Bollinger [Phys. Rev. A 72, 043403 (2005)]. Compared to a traditional linear rf (lrf) Paul trap, the rrf trap is a closer analogy to the popular mechanical lecture demonstration for a Paul trap. In an ion trap with realistic, nonideal electrode geometry, the rrf trap averages over angular variations in the effective potential. This averaging provides more uniform confinement and reduces ion loss compared with the lrf trap at equal trap strength near the center. This feature makes the rrf trap configuration advantageous for precision metrology applications, such as electron electric dipole moment (eEDM) measurements.

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Phys. Rev. A 114, L050801– Published 5 November, 2026
  • Received 11 May 2026
  • Accepted 24 August 2026
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