Advances in Ps Manipulations and Laser Studies in the AEgIS Experiment

Abstract

(1583) 1584 R. Caravita et al.Positronium (Ps), the unstable bound state of electron and positron, is a valuable system for neutral antimatter spectroscopic studies and for antihydrogen production. Forming a pulsed beam cold antihydrogen using charge-exchange with the Rydberg Ps is the goal of the AEgIS Collaboration, which aims to measure gravity on neutral antimatter. Recent results achieved in producing, manipulating and studying Ps are summarized. Ps has been first produced with mesoporous silica targets in a reflection geometry. Spectroscopy of Ps n = 3 state has been conducted, yielding as a byproduct an independent estimate of the produced Ps temperature. Efficient laser excitation to the Rydberg levels was then achieved, validating the proof-of-concept of AEgIS. Subsequently, production of Ps from a new class of transmission targets was also achieved, opening the possibility for future experiments.

A cryogenic tracking detector for antihydrogen detection in the AEgIS experiment

“…To manipulate and cool p plasmas, the AEgIS apparatus features a complex trap system which culminates in the H production Malmberg-Penning trap [12], located in the center of a 1 T superconductive magnet. After the production trap has been loaded with p, a bunch of positrons is shot onto a positron/positronium converter located on top of the trap, the resulting Ps atoms outgoing from the converter traverse the electrodes of the production trap through a grid and interact with the trapped p. As of 2018 all of the major components of the AEgIS experiment have been commissioned and tested [12,13,14,15] and thus the novel H production mechanism could be probed.…”

A cryogenic tracking detector for antihydrogen detection in the AEgIS experiment

“…To manipulate and cool p plasmas, the AEgIS apparatus features a complex trap system which culminates in the H production Malmberg-Penning trap [12], located in the center of a 1 T superconductive magnet. After the production trap has been loaded with p, a bunch of positrons is shot onto a positron/positronium converter located on top of the trap, the resulting Ps atoms outgoing from the converter traverse the electrodes of the production trap through a grid and interact with the trapped p. As of 2018 all of the major components of the AEgIS experiment have been commissioned and tested [12][13][14][15] and thus the novel H production mechanism could be probed.…”

Simulating Positron to Positronium Conversion in Nanostructured Materials

“…An abundant source of cold Ps can be provided by silica-coated silicon nanochanneled plates (NCPs). In recent years, NCPs have been the workhorse of spectroscopy experiments on Ps atoms carried out at AEgIS [7][8][9][10][11]. The performance of the NCPs and the characteristics of the Ps cloud they generate had been already characterized experimentally [12][13][14], but only very recently we were able to provide a quantitative model of the inner working of the NCPs capable of predicting correctly the experimental results in most experimental settings [15][16][17].…”