Precision studies in traps: Measurement of fundamental constants and tests of fundamental theories

Experiments on single atomic particles confined in Penning ion traps have contributed significantly to the improvements of fundamental constants and to tests of the theory of Quantum Electrodynamics for free and bound electrons. The most precise value of the fine structure constant as well as the electron mass have been derived from trap experiments. Numerous atomic masses of interest for fundamental questions have been determined with precisions of 10 � 9 or below. Further progress is envisaged in the near future.