ALPHA Antiproton Catching Trap

物理学面临的重大挑战之一是理解物质和反物质之间的根本区别。目前的理论认为，物质和反物质应该是在宇宙形成过程中产生的等量物质；物质在可观测宇宙中的优势明显地质疑了这一结论。阿尔法的合作试图通过对捕获的反氢原子进行精确的测量来解决这些问题，例如光谱分析，并将这些测量与氢原子中类似的精确测量进行比较。与传统的高能实验相比，对这些低能现象的测量允许对从电荷、宇称、时间对称性到重力的基本物理进行独特和互补的探测。位于欧洲核子研究中心的阿尔法正在对这些奇异的反原子进行首次精确测量。除了通过反氢的光学光谱学来实现这一目标外，阿尔法还计划将其扩展到第一次对反物质进行任何类型的直接引力测量。阿尔法实验计划的核心是反质子捕获陷阱，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设备。我们正在寻找一名博士生，在这个令人兴奋的成长期从事与捕捉器相关的主题工作。拟议的项目是对新的等离子体技术进行实验研究，以实现反质子的长期积累和提取。这项工作包括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。预计这名学生将参加正在进行的关于捕获反氢的实验计划。

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.