Penning Trap

A Penning trap is a device used by scientists to hold charged particles, such as ions, in a small space using a combination of magnetic and electric fields. The magnetic field forces the particles to move in circular paths, while the electric field contains them along a central axis. This precise confinement allows researchers to study the particles' properties without interference. Penning traps are important in fields like atomic physics and measurements of fundamental constants, enabling highly accurate experiments by isolating particles from external disturbances.