The Production and Study of Cold Antihydrogen

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The overall goal of this research program is to use precise laser spectroscopy on the 1s-2s transition to probe for any tiny difference between antihydrogen atoms and hydrogen atoms, thereby providing the most sensitive tests of CPT (Charge conjugation, Parity, and Time reversal) invariance with baryons and leptons. The antihydrogen is formed in a nested Penning trap called ATRAP (Antihydrogen TRAP). ATRAP uses antiprotons from CERN's Antiproton Decelerator, and positrons from a radioactive source, to produce the cold antihydrogen. With the successful demonstration in 2002 of the formation of antihydrogen, the focus now turns to optimizing the production of antihydrogen and obtaining the first antihydrogen spectroscopy. The broad impacts of the program spans from the training of students to the impact of solenoid design on medical imaging to the education of the public on antimatter physics.