| Abstract: | Trapped radioactive atoms and ions have become a standard tool of the trade for precision studies of beyond SM physics. β decay studies, in particular, offer the possibility of detecting deviations from standard model predictions of the weak interaction which signal new physics. These ’precision frontier’ searches are complementary to the high energy searches performed by the LHC and other high energy/high luminosity facilities. I will present a general overview of magneto-optical and optical traps and their use for weak interaction studies. I will further present both the Berkeley 21Na trapping experiment and the new Hebrew University 17−25Ne trapping program, recent experimental results, and future plans. |