The physical principles of ion traps were first explored by F. M. Penning (1894–1953), who observed that electrons released by the cathode of an ionization vacuum gauge follow a long cycloidal path to the anode in the presence of a sufficiently strong magnetic field. 
A scheme for confining charged particles in three dimensions without the use of magnetic fields was developed by W. Paul based on his work with quadrupole mass spectrometers.
Ion traps were used in television receivers prior to the introduction of aluminized CRT faces around 1958, to protect the phosphor screen from ions. The ion trap must be delicately adjusted for maximum brightness.