Search for laser-induced formation of antihydrogen atoms

Phys Rev Lett. 2006 Nov 24;97(21):213401. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.97.213401. Epub 2006 Nov 22.

Abstract

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.