Guiding of Molecular Ions by a Capillary Insulator
Department
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Major
Aerospace Engineering
Research Advisor
DuBois, R. D. (Robert D.), 1951-
Advisor's Department
Physics
Funding Source
National Science Foundation
Abstract
An insulator charges up when exposed to charged particles. It has been shown that this can be used to guide beams of electrons and ions through micron and nanometer diameter capillaries in various insulators. Also, the direction of these beams can be changed by several degrees by rotating the capillary and millimeter diameter beams can be reduced to micron diameters by using tapered capillaries. This is because the beams are guided after they charge the inside surface of the capillary. This charge then repels the ions such that they follow the capillary direction. We are investigating this using molecular, rather than atomic, ions. Thus far we have transmitted beams through an insulating capillary, plus shown that they follow the capillary direction and the molecules don’t break apart. The next step is to measure their energies after they exit plus the intensity change with degree of rotation.
Biography
Spencer Garr is currently a junior in the Aerospace Engineering department. He is working in a physics lab simply because he was interested and had an opportunity to do so. This is the first time he has ever worked in a lab of this kind. Most of the work he has done has been on a farm since that is where he grew up. Eventually he would like to work in research dealing with space travel, including the research into faster than light travel.
Research Category
Sciences
Presentation Type
Poster Presentation
Document Type
Poster
Location
Upper Atrium/Hallway
Presentation Date
08 Apr 2009, 9:00 am - 11:45 am
Guiding of Molecular Ions by a Capillary Insulator
Upper Atrium/Hallway
An insulator charges up when exposed to charged particles. It has been shown that this can be used to guide beams of electrons and ions through micron and nanometer diameter capillaries in various insulators. Also, the direction of these beams can be changed by several degrees by rotating the capillary and millimeter diameter beams can be reduced to micron diameters by using tapered capillaries. This is because the beams are guided after they charge the inside surface of the capillary. This charge then repels the ions such that they follow the capillary direction. We are investigating this using molecular, rather than atomic, ions. Thus far we have transmitted beams through an insulating capillary, plus shown that they follow the capillary direction and the molecules don’t break apart. The next step is to measure their energies after they exit plus the intensity change with degree of rotation.
