A linear ion trap for the Enriched Xenon Observatory EXO

The Enriched Xenon Observatory for double beta decay attempts to answer one of the greatest outstanding questions in neutrino physics by performing a direct measurement of the majorana neutrino mass through the investigation of neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu \beta\beta$) of $^{136}$Xe. The major advantage of Xenon as a source is the ability to detect the Ba ion daughter directly through laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy; this technique would allow for an essentially background-free measurement. First investigations of Ba spectroscopy were done in a hyperbolic Paul-trap. This talk discusses the trapping of single barium ions in buffer gasses, as well as the design and implementation of a linear ion trap, which allows for external loading of ions, for use in the Barium tagging aspect of a liquid Xenon double beta decay experiment.