ALPHA Antiproton Catching Trap

物理学的一个重大挑战是理解物质和反物质之间的根本区别。目前的理论认为，物质和反物质应该在宇宙的形成过程中以相等的数量被创造出来;物质在可观测宇宙中的主导地位使这一结论受到质疑。ALPHA合作旨在通过对捕获的反氢原子进行精确测量（如光谱学）来解决这些问题，并将这些测量结果与氢中类似的精确测量结果进行比较。与传统的高能实验相比，这些低能现象的测量允许对从电荷，宇称，时间对称到引力的基础物理进行独特和互补的探索。位于欧洲核子研究中心（CERN）的阿尔法（ALPHA）正在对这些奇异的反原子进行首次精确测量。除了通过反氢的光谱学来实现这一目标外，ALPHA还计划扩展到第一次对反物质进行任何形式的直接引力测量。阿尔法实验计划的核心是反质子捕获阱，这是一种捕获、冷却和准备反质子以用于雄心勃勃的活动的装置。我们正在寻找一名博士生在这个令人兴奋的增长时期从事与捕捉陷阱相关的主题。拟议的项目是实验研究新的等离子体技术，以实现反质子的长期积累和提取。这项工作涉及开发等离子体操纵技术和诊断，以实现新的和可靠的按需反质子。该项目还将包括设计研究和测量，以实现新一代反物质引力实验，以及与欧洲核子研究中心的下一代反质子减速器ELENA的集成。预计该学生将参加正在进行的反氢实验计划。

One of the grand challenges in physics is understanding the fundamental differences between matter and antimatter. Current theories suggest that matter and antimatter should have been created in equal quantities during the formation of the universal; the predominance of matter in the observable universe starkly calls this conclusion into question. The ALPHA collaboration seeks to address these questions by making precise measurements, such as spectroscopy, on trapped antihydrogen atoms, and comparing these against similarly precise measurements in hydrogen. Measurements of these low-energy phenomena allow for a unique and complementary probe of fundamental physics from Charge, Parity, Time symmetry to gravity, as compared to traditional high-energy experiments. ALPHA, located at CERN, is pursuing the first precision measurements of these exotic anti-atoms. In addition to achieving this goal through optical spectroscopy of the antihydrogen, ALPHA is planning on expanding to the first direct gravitational measurements of any sort on antimatter. Central to the ALPHA experimental programme is the Antiproton Catching Trap, a device which capture, cools, and prepares antiprotons for use in the ambitious activities. We are seeking a PhD student to work on topics related to the Catching Trap during this exciting growth period. The proposed project is the experimental investigation of novel plasma techniques to enable long-term accumulation and extraction of antiprotons. This work involves developing plasma manipulation techniques and diagnostics in order to achieve novel and reliable on-demand antiprotons. The project will also include design studies and measurements for enabling a new generation of antimatter gravitation experiments as well as integration with ELENA, CERN's next-generation antiproton decelerator. The student is expected to participate in the ongoing experimental programme on trapped antihydrogen.