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Experiments with a High-Density Positronium Gas

D. B. Cassidy, S. H. M. Deng, R. G. Greaves, T. Maruo, N. Nishiyama, J. B. Snyder, H. K. M. Tanaka, and A. P. Mills, Jr.
Phys. Rev. Lett. 95, 195006 – Published 4 November 2005
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Abstract

We have created a high-density gas of interacting positronium (Ps) atoms by irradiating a thin film of nanoporous silica with intense positron bursts and measured the Ps lifetime using a new single-shot technique. When the positrons were compressed to 3.3×1010cm2, the apparent intensity of the orthopositronium lifetime component was found to decrease by 33%. We believe this is due to a combination of spin exchange quenching and Ps2 molecule formation associated with colliding pairs of oppositely polarized triplet positronium atoms. Our data imply an effective cross section for this process of 2.9×1014cm2.

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  • Received 4 October 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.195006

©2005 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

D. B. Cassidy1, S. H. M. Deng1, R. G. Greaves2, T. Maruo3, N. Nishiyama3, J. B. Snyder4, H. K. M. Tanaka1, and A. P. Mills, Jr.1

  • 1Department of Physics, University of California, Riverside, California 92521-0413, USA
  • 2First Point Scientific Inc., Agoura Hills, California 91301, USA
  • 3Division of Chemical Engineering, Osaka University, 1-3 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560 8531, Japan
  • 4Department of Physics, Principia College, Elsah, Illinois 62028, USA

See Also

Matter-Antimatter Molecules

Mark Buchanan
Phys. Rev. Focus 16, 16 (2005)

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Issue

Vol. 95, Iss. 19 — 4 November 2005

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