0000000000759526
AUTHOR
D. Le Sage
showing 4 related works from this author
Single-component plasma of photoelectrons
2007
Abstract Ten-nanosecond pulses of photoelectrons liberated by intense UV laser pulses from a thin gold layer are captured into a single-component plasma that is ideally suited to cool antiprotons ( p ¯ ) for antihydrogen ( H ¯ ) production. Up to a billion electrons are accumulated using a series of laser pulses, more than are needed for efficient p ¯ cooling in the large traps now being used for loading p ¯ for H ¯ production. The method is demonstrated within an enclosed vacuum space that is entirely at 4 K, and is thus compatible with the exceptional cryogenic vacuum that is desirable for the long-term storage of antihydrogen. The pitfalls of other electron accumulation methods are entir…
Antihydrogen production within a Penning-Ioffe trap.
2008
Slow antihydrogen (H) is produced within a Penning trap that is located within a quadrupole Ioffe trap, the latter intended to ultimately confine extremely cold, ground-state H[over ] atoms. Observed H[over ] atoms in this configuration resolve a debate about whether positrons and antiprotons can be brought together to form atoms within the divergent magnetic fields of a quadrupole Ioffe trap. The number of detected H atoms actually increases when a 400 mK Ioffe trap is turned on.
Antiproton confinement in a Penning-Ioffe trap for antihydrogen.
2007
Antiprotons ((p) over bar) remain confined in a Penning trap, in sufficient numbers to form antihydrogen ((H) over bar) atoms via charge exchange, when the radial field of a quadrupole Ioffe trap is added. This first demonstration with (p) over bar suggests that quadrupole Ioffe traps can be superimposed upon (p) over bar and e(+) traps to attempt the capture of (H) over bar atoms as they form, contrary to conclusions of previous analyses.
Density and geometry of single component plasmas
2007
Abstract The density and geometry of p ¯ and e + plasmas in realistic trapping potentials are required to understand and optimize antihydrogen ( H ¯ ) formation. An aperture method and a quadrupole oscillation frequency method for characterizing such plasmas are compared for the first time, using electrons in a cylindrical Penning trap. Both methods are used in a way that makes it unnecessary to assume that the plasmas are spheroidal, and it is shown that they are not. Good agreement between the two methods illustrates the possibility to accurately determine plasma densities and geometries within non-idealized, realistic trapping potentials.