Laser cooling of antihydrogen for fundamental symmetry tests with ALPHA at CERN

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This RTI proposal will directly and substantively support the research program of the international, CERN-based, ALPHA (Antihydrogen Laser Physics Apparatus) Collaboration. Specifically, it supports equipment for the Canadian-led laser initiative on laser cooling of antihydrogen. ALPHA is an international project whose goal is to measure and compare certain properties of 'antihydrogen' - the simplest atomic form of neutral antimatter - with those of ordinary hydrogen. ALPHA will directly test and challenge fundamental theories with regard to the similarities and differences ('symmetries') between matter and antimatter, an issue that is arguably one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics. In recent years, ALPHA has achieved many significant and high profile milestones in its pursuit of its primary goal, including: novel application of cryogenic cooling techniques (2010), stable (2010) and long term (2011) trapping of neutral antimatter, and proof of principle microwave studies of trapped antihydrogen (2012). Having achieved its milestones of antihydrogen trapping and the first spectroscopy, ALPHA is currently undergoing a major upgrade. The new apparatus (ALPHA-2) will provide laser access to trapped antihydrogen, as well as improved magnetic field homogeneity for laser and microwave spectroscopy. The laser group in ALPHA-Canada has been developing a Lyman-alpha laser system for 1s-2p one-photon spectroscopy and laser cooling of antihydrogen. This Lyman-alpha laser system and the new optical access in ALPHA-2 trap will allow laser cooling of antihydrogen for the first time, which has been a dream for those in the field for many years. This RTI grant will provide critical equipment to make laser cooling of antihydrogen to ~20 mK possible at scheduled beam times in late 2014 and 2015. The goals of this RTI proposal include development of optical transport at CERN and the automation and stabilization of the laser system to be installed at CERN. The proposed equipment is needed, immediately and urgently, to be able to install the Lyman-alpha laser system before the antiproton beam at CERN becomes active in 2014. These instruments will help make possible the ambitious goal of performing precision symmetry tests between matter and antimatter. ALPHA-Canada has unique expertise in this area. The proposed laser initiative will allow Canadian physicists to reap the scientific benefits of the significant investment Canada has made to the development and operation of ALPHA over the past several years, which has led to our recent breakthroughs.