A Multicell Trap for Positron Accumulation and Storage
Abstract
There has been considerable progress in accumulating positrons (i.e., the antiparticles of electrons) in Penning traps - devices specifically designed to confine plasmas of a single sign of charge using an arrangement of electric and magnetic fields. The project described here begins a next major step in this area - development of a novel multicell Penning trap for large numbers of positrons. The long-range goal of this project is the development of a device to accumulate N >/= 10(exp 12) positrons (i.e., an increase of a factor of 1000 over current performance) and to store this collection of antimatter as a plasma for times as long as weeks. The multicell trap apparatus will be a few cubic meters in volume and portable. This reservoir of positrons could replace accelerator- or radionuclide-based positron sources, as necessary. It could also be used to provide bursts of positrons for a range of scientific and technological applications. The development of this device would be an important step toward the development of even more flexible, portable reservoirs of antimatter with few logistic requirements. The first phase of the project, for which this is the final technical report, used test electron plasmas to develop new capabilities to store large numbers of particles in a single plasma cell and to manipulate the resulting plasmas. The project developed a technique to move plasmas across the magnetic field, and to operate more than one plasma cell simultaneously. All five of the proposed tasks were accomplished. Two subsequent options, if approved for funding, would enable the design, construction, and testing of the stand-alone multicell positron trap, described above, to accumulate and store 10(exp 12) positrons.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 21, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA455051
Entities
People
- C. M. Surko
Organizations
- University of California, San Diego