Electric field in an octupole geometry

[npathmat]

Hello all,

I'd truly appreciate if you could provide me with guidance on this. I'm trying to find the electric field inside an octopole trap analytically to compare results against my numerical calculations. I'm pretty sure it is analytically obtainable, but do not know how to proceed. Any help please?

Attached is a photo that shows the structure of the electrodes generating the electric field (yellow parts): four electrodes on the bottom, and four on top exactly like those underneath but with opposite polarity. The structure is capable of trapping dielectric particle right in the middle.

 

[eljose79]

Hello there,

I am a scientist with experience in analyzing electric fields and I would be happy to assist you with your question. The electric field inside an octopole trap can indeed be obtained analytically using the method of superposition. This method involves breaking down the electric field into simpler components and then adding them together to obtain the final field.

In the case of an octopole trap, the electric field can be broken down into four quadrupole fields, each generated by the four electrodes on the bottom and top. These quadrupole fields can then be added together to obtain the final octopole field. The formula for the electric field of a quadrupole can be found in most physics textbooks or online resources.

To obtain the electric field at a specific point inside the trap, you will need to know the distance of that point from each of the electrodes and the strength of the electric field generated by each electrode. This information can be obtained from the geometry of the trap and the voltage applied to each electrode.

I hope this helps and please let me know if you have any further questions. Good luck with your calculations!