Efficient injection of an intense positron beam into a dipole magnetic field. (19th October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Saitoh, H; Stanja, J; Stenson, E V; Hergenhahn, U; Niemann, H; Pedersen, T Sunn; Stoneking, M R; Piochacz, C; Hugenschmidt, C
• Is Part Of: New journal of physics. Volume 17:Number 10(2015:Oct.)
• Publication Date: 2015-10-19
• Subjects: antimatter plasma -- electron–positron plasma -- pair plasma -- positron beam -- dipole magnetic field; Physics -- Periodicals; Physics; Periodicals; 530.05
• DOI: 10.1088/1367-2630/17/10/103038
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1367-2630

Abstract

Abstract: We have demonstrated efficient injection and trapping of a cold positron beam in a dipole magnetic field configuration. The intense 5 eV positron beam was provided by the NEutron induced POsitron source MUniCh facility at the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum, and transported into the confinement region of the dipole field trap generated by a supported, permanent magnet with 0.6 T strength at the pole faces. We achieved transport into the region of field lines that do not intersect the outer wall using the drift of the positron beam between a pair of tailored plates that created the electric field. We present evidence that up to 38% of the beam particles are able to reach the intended confinement region and make at least a 180° rotation around the magnet where they annihilate on an insertable target. When the target is removed and the plate voltages are switched off, confinement of a small population persists for on the order of 1 ms. These results lend optimism to our larger aims to apply a magnetic dipole field configuration for trapping of both positrons and electrons in order to test predictions of the unique properties of a pair plasma.