Speaker
Adam Deller
(University College London)
Description
Recent advances in positron trapping techniques, positron to positronium
(Ps) converter materials, and commercially available pulsed laser
sources has greatly simplified the generation of Rydberg states of Ps.
Highly-excited states of this exotic atom are listed in several schemes
being developed for synthesis of anti-hydrogen for (anti)gravity
measurements. In contrast to its ground-state, which rapidly
self-annihilates, prolonged measurements of Ps* are possible: an element
interesting in its own right for being a purely leptonic, bound-state
system.
A experiment designed for laser-spectroscopy of Ps and optical
preparation of Rydberg states is presented. Tailoring of the electric
field in the excitation region is demonstrated as a means to select
specific Stark states of the $n=11$ manifold. These states are
significant for having large electric-dipole moments, which can be
exploited to manipulate the atoms. Such techniques can in principle be
employed to electrostatically focus a cold Ps beam, and eventually to
measure gravitational deflection of the part-antimatter pair.
Primary author
Adam Deller
(University College London)
