Search for laser-induced formation of antihydrogen atoms.
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.
Amoretti
M
M
Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Sezione di Genova, 16146 Genova, Italy.
Amsler
C
C
Bonomi
G
G
Bowe
P D
PD
Canali
C
C
Carraro
C
C
Cesar
C L
CL
Charlton
M
M
Ejsing
A M
AM
Fontana
A
A
Fujiwara
M C
MC
Funakoshi
R
R
Genova
P
P
Hangst
J S
JS
Hayano
R S
RS
Jørgensen
L V
LV
Kellerbauer
A
A
Lagomarsino
V
V
Lodi Rizzini
E
E
Macrì
M
M
Madsen
N
N
Manuzio
G
G
Mitchard
D
D
Montagna
P
P
Posada
L G C
LG
Pruys
H
H
Regenfus
C
C
Rotondi
A
A
Telle
H H
HH
Testera
G
G
Van der Werf
D P
DP
Variola
A
A
Venturelli
L
L
Yamazaki
Y
Y
Zurlo
N
N