The model was designed with LEGO Digital Designer and then ordered online through the LEGO "Design By Me" service. This service allowed you to design a custom box and you also received a printed set of assembly instructions. When it arrived, I was really impressed with the quality of what LEGO had put together for a modest surcharge on the cost of the bricks. Alas, this service is no longer available. |
Between the axial electrodes you can see a translucent blue cylinder - a cloud of 171Yb+ ions fluorescing at 369.5 nm. Action feature: the ion cloud moves! The red blocks are the copper end-electrodes and the grey box underneath the electrodes is the Yb oven and ionizer. You can download the model here. |
The real ion trap in shiny 316 stainless steel. The crumpled foil structure under the electrodes is the Yb oven and ionizer - it's not quite as neat as in the LEGO model. |