Published November 24, 2006 | Version v1
Journal article

Search for Laser-Induced Formation of Antihydrogen Atoms

  • 1. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Genova, 16146 Genova (Italy)
  • 2. Physik-Institut, Zuerich University, 8057 Zuerich (Switzerland)
  • 3. Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Universita di Pavia, 27100 Pavia (Italy)
  • 4. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Universita di Brescia, 25123 Brescia (Italy)
  • 5. Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Aarhus, 8000 Aarhus C (Denmark)
  • 6. Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Genova, 16146 Genova (Italy)
  • 7. Instituto de Fisica, Univesidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21945-970 (Brazil)
  • 8. Department of Physics, University of Wales Swansea, Swansea SA2 8PP (United Kingdom)

Description

Antihydrogen can be synthesized by mixing antiprotons and positrons in a Penning trap environment. Here an experiment to stimulate the formation of antihydrogen in the n=11 quantum state by the introduction of light from a CO2 continuous wave laser is described. An overall upper limit of 0.8% with 90% C.L. on the laser-induced enhancement of the recombination has been found. This result strongly suggests that radiative recombination contributes negligibly to the antihydrogen formed in the experimental conditions used by the ATHENA Collaboration

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Physical Review Letters
Journal Volume
97
Journal Issue
21
Journal Page Range
p. 213401-213401.4
ISSN
0031-9007
CODEN
PRLTAO

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
38024363
Subject category
S74: ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
ANTIPROTONS; CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS; HYDROGEN; POSITRONS; RECOMBINATION
Descriptors DEC
ANTIBARYONS; ANTILEPTONS; ANTIMATTER; ANTINUCLEI; ANTINUCLEONS; ANTIPARTICLES; BARYONS; ELEMENTARY PARTICLES; ELEMENTS; FERMIONS; GAS LASERS; HADRONS; LASERS; LEPTONS; MATTER; NONMETALS; NUCLEI; NUCLEONS; PROTONS

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2006 The American Physical Society
Collaborations
ATHENA Collaboration