Trajectories of Charged Microparticles in a Linear Quadrupole Trap with Rectangular Confinement Voltage

The effect of ac rectangular confinement voltage on the oscillation trajectories of charged micron-sized dielectric particles in a linear quadrupole trap in air at atmospheric pressure is studied in experiments and computer simulation with variations in the relative duration of the positive polarity of the voltage. A variation in the relative duration of the positive polarity at constant signal frequency and amplitude leads to changes in the angle of inclination of particle trajectories in the cross section of the trap. The diagonal of the trajectory in the square of cross section is changed at a relative duration of less or greater than 50%. The experimentally detected rotation of trajectory is in agreement with the results of computer simulation for a single particle. The effect can be used to control single particles and Coulomb systems of charged particles, determine new regions of stability, and develop quantum computers based on quadrupole traps.