mode as short ion bunches, are decelerated and cooled to helium temperatures in Penning traps. With this novel technique of deceleration, trapping and cooling of highly charged ions, atomic physics studies [...] precise determination of atomic binding energies in few-electron systems. The technological experience of deceleration, trapping and cooling of HCI, which will be gained at the HITRAP facility, will be employed [...] decelerator and trap facility HITRAP is a ion trap facility which is designed for capturing and cooling of highly charged ions (HCI) produced at the GSI-accelerator complex. In the HITRAP facility heavy