Direct observation of the hyperfine transition of ground-state positronium.

We report the first direct measurement of the hyperfine transition of the ground state positronium. The hyperfine structure between ortho-positronium and para-positronium is about 203 GHz. We develop a new optical system to accumulate about 10 kW power using a gyrotron, a mode converter, and a Fabry-Pérot cavity. The hyperfine transition has been observed with a significance of 5.4 standard deviations. The transition probability is measured to be A = 3.1(-1.2)(+1.6) × 10(-8) s(-1) for the first time, which is in good agreement with the theoretical value of 3.37 × 10(-8) s(-1).

Development of a novel high power sub-THz second harmonic gyrotron.

Record-breaking high power coherent radiation at a subterahertz frequency region from a gyrotron utilizing second harmonic resonance modes was attained with a simple cavity. In order to aim at high power and high frequency simultaneously, the oscillation mode was selected carefully enough to realize stable radiation free from mode competition. The cavity radius was determined from the viewpoints of the oscillation frequency, the coupling coefficient between the electron beam, and the rf-electric field. The cavity length was also optimized for the highest perpendicular efficiency. In addition, a new electron gun which is capable of generating a thin laminar beam for a large current was introduced. Consequently, single mode second harmonic radiation with powers of 52 and 37 kW at frequencies of about 349 and 390 GHz, respectively, was achieved.

Subterahertz gyrotron developments for collective Thomson scattering in LHD.

Collective Thomson scattering (CTS) is expected to provide the spatially resolved velocity distribution functions of not only thermal and tail ions but also alpha particles resulting from fusion reactions. CTS using gyrotrons with frequency higher than the conventional ones used for plasma heating would have advantages to alleviate refraction, cutoff effects, and background electron cyclotron emission noise. Therefore, a high-power pulse gyrotron operating at approximately 400 GHz is being developed for CTS in Large Helical Device (LHD). A single-mode oscillation with a frequency greater than 400 GHz, applying the second-harmonic resonance, was successfully demonstrated in the first stage. At the same time, concrete feasibility study based on ray tracing, scattering spectra, and electron cyclotron emission calculations has been conducted.

Experimental observation of the 1/3 magnetization plateau in the diamond-chain compound Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2.

The magnetic susceptibility, high field magnetization, and specific heat measurements of Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2, which is a model substance for the frustrating diamond spin chain model, have been performed using single crystals. Two broad peaks are observed at around 20 and 5 K in both magnetic susceptibility and specific heat results. The magnetization curve has a clear plateau at one third of the saturation magnetization. The experimental results are examined in terms of theoretical expectations based on exact diagonalization and density matrix renormalization group methods. An origin of magnetic anisotropy is also discussed.