Non-neutral plasma manipulation techniques in development of a high-capacity positron trap.

Preliminary experiments have been performed toward the development of a multi-cell Penning-Malmberg trap for the storage of large numbers of positrons (≥1010 e+). We introduce the master-cell test trap and the diagnostic tools for first experiments with electrons. The usage of a phosphor screen to measure the z-integrated plasma distribution and the number of confined particles is demonstrated, as well as the trap alignment to the magnetic field (B = 3.1 T) using the m = 1 diocotron mode. The plasma parameters and expansion are described along with the autoresonant excitation of the diocotron mode using rotating dipole fields and frequency chirped sinusoidal drive signals. We analyze the reproducibility of the excitation and use these findings to settle on the path for the next generation multi-cell test device.

A levitated magnetic dipole configuration as a compact charged particle trap.

As a magnetic confinement configuration for electron-positron pair-plasmas, the APEX collaboration [T. S. Pedersen et al., New J. Phys. 14, 035010 (2012)] plans to construct a compact levitated dipole experiment with a high-temperature superconducting coil. In order to realize stable levitation of the dipole field coil, a simple feedback-controlled levitation system was constructed with conventional analog circuits. We report the properties of a prototype levitation system using a permanent magnet and compare its behavior to predictions from a stability analysis. We also present a practical review needed for the construction of a compact levitated dipole trap system based on the work of Morikawa et al. [Teion Kogaku, J. Cryo. Soc. Jpn. 39, 209 (2004)]. Numerical orbit analysis suggests improved confinement properties of charged particles in a dipole field trap by replacing the permanent magnet with a levitated superconducting coil magnet. Such a compact dipole field configuration is potentially applicable to the confinement of various charged particles including positrons and electrons.

Lossless Positron Injection into a Magnetic Dipole Trap.

The high-efficiency injection of a low-energy positron beam into the confinement volume of a magnetic dipole has been demonstrated experimentally. This was accomplished by tailoring the three-dimensional guiding-center drift orbits of positrons via optimization of electrostatic potentials applied to electrodes at the edge of the trap, thereby producing localized and essentially lossless cross-field particle transport by means of the E×B drift. The experimental findings are reproduced and elucidated by numerical simulations, enabling a comprehensive understanding of the process. These results answer key questions and establish methods for use in upcoming experiments to create an electron-positron plasma in a levitated dipole device.

Confinement of Positrons Exceeding 1 s in a Supported Magnetic Dipole Trap.

An ensemble of low-energy positrons injected into a supported magnetic dipole trap can remain trapped for more than a second. Trapping experiments with and without a positive magnet bias yield confinement times up to τ_{A}=(1.5±0.1) and τ_{B}=(0.28±0.04) s, respectively. Supported by single-particle simulations, we conclude that the dominant mechanism limiting the confinement in this trap is scattering off of neutrals, which can lead to both radial transport and parallel losses onto the magnet surface. These results provide encouragement for plans to confine an electron-positron plasma in a levitated dipole trap.

Positron-Induced Luminescence.

We report on the observation that low-energy positrons incident on a phosphor screen produce significantly more luminescence than electrons do. For two different wide-band-gap semiconductor phosphors (ZnS:Ag and ZnO:Zn), we compare the luminescent response to a positron beam with the response to an electron beam. For both phosphors, the positron response is significantly brighter than the electron response, by a factor that depends strongly on incident energy (0-5 keV). Positrons with just a few tens of electron-volts of energy (for ZnS:Ag) or less (for ZnO:Zn) produce as much luminescence as is produced by electrons with several kilo-electron-volts. We attribute this effect to valence band holes and excited electrons produced by positron annihilation and subsequent Auger processes. These results demonstrate a valuable approach for addressing long-standing questions about luminescent materials.

Confinement time exceeding one second for a toroidal electron plasma.

Nearly steady-state electron plasmas are trapped in a toroidal magnetic field for the first time. We report the first results from a new toroidal electron plasma experiment, the Lawrence Non-neutral Torus II, in which electron densities on the order of 10(7) cm(-3) are trapped in a 270-degree toroidal arc (670 G toroidal magnetic field) by application of trapping potentials to segments of a conducting shell. The total charge inferred from measurements of the frequency of the m=1 diocotron mode is observed to decay on a 3 s time scale, a time scale that approaches the predicted limit due to magnetic pumping transport. Three seconds represents approximately equal to 10(5) periods of the lowest frequency plasma mode, indicating that nearly steady-state conditions are achieved.

Poloidal E x B drift used as an effective rotational transform to achieve long confinement times in a toroidal electron plasma.

Electron plasmas with mean densities of 5.0 x 10(6) cm(-3) have been confined for as long as 18 ms in a partially toroidal trap with a purely toroidal magnetic field (B(0)=196 G, R(o)=43 cm, a=5 cm). Confinement is limited to 2.0 ms unless feedback is employed to suppress the growth of a toroidal version of the m=1 diocotron mode. The confinement time is much longer than all characteristic single-particle drift time scales and therefore confirms the existence of an equilibrium in which the space-charge-generated E x B drift acts as an effective rotational transform.