A “Lorentz” steerer for ion injection into a Penning trap

A technique for precise control of ion injection into a Penning trap is presented, based on the employment of an E→×B→ drift motion of the ion in the strong magnetic field in which the Penning trap is located. An electric dipole field with variable strength and orientation allows for precise placement of the ion in the radial plane of the trap. This method allows for fast preparation of an ion’s magnetron motion, as used, for example, in the time-of-flight cyclotron resonance detection technique.