AEgIS experiment commissioning at CERN

Krasnický, D.; Aghion, Stefano; Amsler, C.; Ariga, A.; Ariga, T.; Belov, A. S.; Bonomi, G.; Bräunig, P.; Brusa, R. S.; Bremer, J.; Burghart, G.; Cabaret, L.; Caccia, M.; Canali, C.; Caravita, R.; Castelli, F.; Cerchiari, G.; Cialdi, S.; Comparat, D.; Consolati, Giovanni; Dassa, L.; Di Domizio, S.; Di Noto, L.; Doser, M.; Dudarev, A.; Ereditato, A.; Ferragut, RAFAEL OMAR; Fontana, A.; Genova, P.; Giammarchi, M.; Gligorova, A.; Gninenko, S. N.; Hogan, S. D.; Haider, S.; Jordan, E.; Jorgensen, L. V.; Kaltenbacher, T.; Kawada, J.; Kellerbauer, A.; Kimura, M.; Lagomarsino, V.; Mariazzi, S.; Matveev, V. A.; Merkt, F.; Moia, Fabio; Nebbia, G.; Nédélec, P.; Oberthaler, M. K.; Pacifico, N.; Petráek, V.; Pistillo, C.; Prelz, F.; Prevedelli, M.; Regenfus, C.; Riccardi, C.; Rohne, O.; Rotondi, A.; Sandaker, H.; Scampoli, P.; Storey, J.; Subieta Vasquez, M. A.; Špaek, M.; Testera, G.; Vaccarone, R.; Villa, F.; Zavatarelli, S.

doi:10.1063/1.4796070

The AEgIS Experiment is an international collaboration based at CERN whose aim is to perform the first direct measurement of the gravitational acceleration g of antihydrogen in the gravitational field of the Earth. Cold antihydrogen will be produced with a pulsed charge exchange reaction in a cylindrical Penning trap where antiprotons will be cooled to 100 mK. The cold antihydrogen will be produced in an excited Rydberg state and subsequently formed into a beam. The deflection of the antihydrogen beam will be measured by using Moiré deflectometer gratings. After being approved in late 2008, AEgIS started taking data in a commissioning phase early 2012. This report presents an overview of the AEgIS experiment, describes its current status and shows the first measurements on antiproton catching and cooling in the 5 T Penning catching trap.We will also present details on the techniques needed for the 100mK antihydrogen production, such as pulsed positronium production and its excitation with lasers.