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Northwestern University physicists trap single positron for months
Researchers at Northwestern University have successfully captured and controlled a single positron—the antimatter counterpart to the electron—for several months. The team, led by Professor Gerald Gabrielse, utilized a Penning trap to suspend the particle in a near-perfect vacuum using electromagnetic fields, preventing it from touching matter and annihilating.
The experiment involved cooling the positron to approximately 0.3 Kelvin (300 millikelvin), reaching its lowest possible quantum energy state. By using tuned microwaves, the scientists were able to manipulate the particle, inducing specific quantum jumps and observing its behavior like an artificial atom. This level of control allows for unprecedented precision in measuring the positron's magnetic moment.
This breakthrough provides a new method to test the fundamental symmetries of physics and investigate the mystery of why the universe is composed primarily of matter rather than an equal mix of matter and antimatter. The study was published in the journal Physical Review Letters.
Entities
Gerald Gabrielse · Northwestern University · Physical Review Letters · Thomas Myers
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The positron was cooled to approximately 0.3 degrees above absolute zero. larepublica.pe · www.lne.es · www.sci.news
- [● 2 SOURCES] The process of slowing down a particle for the trap takes between 8 and 11 hours. larepublica.pe · www.sci.news
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The team used tuned microwaves to manipulate the positron's quantum states and flip its spin. www.sci.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] Physicists at Northwestern University trapped a single positron for several months. larepublica.pe · www.lne.es · www.sci.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] The researchers used a Penning trap combining electric and magnetic fields to suspend the particle in a vacuum. larepublica.pe · www.lne.es · www.sci.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] The experiment aims to test the fundamental symmetries of physics and the Standard Model. larepublica.pe · www.lne.es · www.sci.news
- [● 3 SOURCES] Positrons were obtained from the radioactive decay of sodium-22. larepublica.pe · www.lne.es · www.sci.news