The AEgIS (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy) is a CERN based experiment with the central aim to measure directly the gravitational acceleration of antihydrogen. Antihydrogen atoms will be produced via charge exchange reactions which will consist of Rydberg-excited positronium atoms sent to cooled antiprotons within an electromagnetic trap. The resulting Rydberg antihydrogen atoms will then be horizontally accelerated by an electric field gradient (Stark effect), they will then pass through a moiré deflectometer. The vertical deflection caused by the Earth's gravitational field will test for the first time the Weak Equivalence Principle for antimatter. Detection will be undertaken via a position sensitive detector. Around 103 antihydrogen atoms are needed for the gravitational measurement to be completed. The present status, current achievements and results will be presented, with special attention toward the laser excitation of positronium (Ps) to the n=3 state and the production of Ps atoms in the transmission geometry.

Towards the first measurement of matter-antimatter gravitational interaction / C. Evans, S. Aghion, C. Amsler, G. Bonomi, R.S. Brusa, M. Caccia, R. Caravita, F. Castelli, G. Cerchiari, D. Comparat, G. Consolati, A. Demetrio, L. Di Noto, M. Doser, M. Fani, R. Ferragut, J. Fesel, A. Fontana, S. Gerber, M. Giammarchi, A. Gligorova, F. Guatieri, S. Haider, A. Hinterberger, H. Holmestad, A. Kellerbauer, O. Khalidova, D. Krasnický, V. Lagomarsino, P. Lansonneur, P. Lebrun, C. Malbrunot, S. Mariazzi, J. Marton, V. Matveev, Z. Mazzotta, S.R. Müller, G. Nebbia, P. Nedelec, M. Oberthaler, N. Pacifico, D. Pagano, L. Penasa, V. Petracek, F. Prelz, M. Prevedelli, L. Ravelli, B. Rienaecker, J. Robert, O.M. Røhne, A. Rotondi, H. Sandaker, R. Santoro, L. Smestad, F. Sorrentino, G. Testera, I.C. Tietje, E. Widmann, P. Yzombard, C. Zimmer, J. Zmeskal, N. Zurlo. - In: EPJ WEB OF CONFERENCES. - ISSN 2101-6275. - 182:(2018 Aug). (Intervento presentato al 6. convegno ICNFP 2017 International Conference on New Frontiers in Physics : OAC 17th through 29th August (139367) tenutosi a Crete (Greece) nel 2017) [10.1051/epjconf/201818202040].

Towards the first measurement of matter-antimatter gravitational interaction

F. Castelli;M. Giammarchi;Z. Mazzotta;F. Prelz;
2018

Abstract

The AEgIS (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy) is a CERN based experiment with the central aim to measure directly the gravitational acceleration of antihydrogen. Antihydrogen atoms will be produced via charge exchange reactions which will consist of Rydberg-excited positronium atoms sent to cooled antiprotons within an electromagnetic trap. The resulting Rydberg antihydrogen atoms will then be horizontally accelerated by an electric field gradient (Stark effect), they will then pass through a moiré deflectometer. The vertical deflection caused by the Earth's gravitational field will test for the first time the Weak Equivalence Principle for antimatter. Detection will be undertaken via a position sensitive detector. Around 103 antihydrogen atoms are needed for the gravitational measurement to be completed. The present status, current achievements and results will be presented, with special attention toward the laser excitation of positronium (Ps) to the n=3 state and the production of Ps atoms in the transmission geometry.
physics and astronomy (all)
Settore FIS/01 - Fisica Sperimentale
Settore FIS/04 - Fisica Nucleare e Subnucleare
ago-2018
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/597514
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