Physics of Positron Plasmas in the Laboratory.
Abstract
We continue to lead the world in the efficient accumulation and storage of low-energy positrons. In the past year, we have designed and begun to build the next-generation positron trap. We expect this device to be capable of furnishing cold positrons at a rate of 10(exp 10) per hour from a 150 mCi (22)Na radioactive source. We had begun the first laboratory studies of electron-positron plasmas, passing an electron beam through a positron plasma. We have now developed a new method to generate a high-quality electron beam (0.16 eV FWHM at beam energies from ^ 0.2 to 9 eV), and with it we are able to study the entire range of instability of the lowest order mode of the positron plasma confined in a quadrupole potential well. These experiments motivated new theory (by D. H. E. Dubin), and theory and experiment are in excellent, quantitative agreement. This same approach should allow us to study the instability in long cylindrical plasmas, which approximates the infinite plasma case.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 29, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA328946
Entities
People
- C. M. Surko
Organizations
- University of California, San Diego