An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen

C. Amole; M. D. Ashkezari; M. Baquero-Ruiz; W. Bertsche; E. Butler; A. Capra; C. L. Cesar; M. Charlton; S. Eriksson; J. Fajans; T. Friesen; M. C. Fujiwara; D. R. Gill; A. Gutierrez; J. S. Hangst; W. N. Hardy; M. E. Hayden; C. A. Isaac; S. Jonsell; L. Kurchaninov; A. Little; N. Madsen; J. T.K. McKenna; S. Menary; S. C. Napoli; P. Nolan; K. Olchanski; A. Olin; A. Povilus; P. Pusa; C. Rasmussen; F. Robicheaux; E. Sarid; D. M. Silveira; C. So; T. D. Tharp; R. I. Thompson; D. P. Van Der Werf; Z. Vendeiro; J. S. Wurtele; A. I. Zhmoginov; A. E. Charman

doi:10.1038/ncomms4955

An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen

C. Amole, M. D. Ashkezari, M. Baquero-Ruiz, W. Bertsche, E. Butler, A. Capra, C. L. Cesar, M. Charlton, S. Eriksson, J. Fajans, T. Friesen, M. C. Fujiwara, D. R. Gill, A. Gutierrez, J. S. Hangst, W. N. Hardy, M. E. Hayden, C. A. Isaac, S. Jonsell, L. KurchaninovA. Little, N. Madsen, J. T.K. McKenna, S. Menary, S. C. Napoli, P. Nolan, K. Olchanski, A. Olin, A. Povilus, P. Pusa, C. Rasmussen, F. Robicheaux, E. Sarid, D. M. Silveira, C. So, T. D. Tharp, R. I. Thompson, D. P. Van Der Werf, Z. Vendeiro, J. S. Wurtele, A. I. Zhmoginov, A. E. Charman

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Abstract

The properties of antihydrogen are expected to be identical to those of hydrogen, and any differences would constitute a profound challenge to the fundamental theories of physics. The most commonly discussed antiatom-based tests of these theories are searches for antihydrogen-hydrogen spectral differences (tests of CPT (charge-parity-time) invariance) or gravitational differences (tests of the weak equivalence principle). Here we, the ALPHA Collaboration, report a different and somewhat unusual test of CPT and of quantum anomaly cancellation. A retrospective analysis of the influence of electric fields on antihydrogen atoms released from the ALPHA trap finds a mean axial deflection of 4.1±3.4mm for an average axial electric field of 0.51Vmm^-1. Combined with extensive numerical modelling, this measurement leads to a bound on the charge Qe of antihydrogen of Q=(-1.3±1.1±0.4) × 10^-8. Here, e is the unit charge, and the errors are from statistics and systematic effects.

Original language	English
Article number	3955
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4955
State	Published - 3 Jun 2014
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Chemistry
General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
General Physics and Astronomy

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Amole, C., Ashkezari, M. D., Baquero-Ruiz, M., Bertsche, W., Butler, E., Capra, A., Cesar, C. L., Charlton, M., Eriksson, S., Fajans, J., Friesen, T., Fujiwara, M. C., Gill, D. R., Gutierrez, A., Hangst, J. S., Hardy, W. N., Hayden, M. E., Isaac, C. A., Jonsell, S., ... Charman, A. E. (2014). An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen. Nature Communications, 5, Article 3955. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4955

@article{e7ffd8dd4d044e6696125a462b4bfef7,

title = "An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen",

abstract = "The properties of antihydrogen are expected to be identical to those of hydrogen, and any differences would constitute a profound challenge to the fundamental theories of physics. The most commonly discussed antiatom-based tests of these theories are searches for antihydrogen-hydrogen spectral differences (tests of CPT (charge-parity-time) invariance) or gravitational differences (tests of the weak equivalence principle). Here we, the ALPHA Collaboration, report a different and somewhat unusual test of CPT and of quantum anomaly cancellation. A retrospective analysis of the influence of electric fields on antihydrogen atoms released from the ALPHA trap finds a mean axial deflection of 4.1±3.4mm for an average axial electric field of 0.51Vmm-1. Combined with extensive numerical modelling, this measurement leads to a bound on the charge Qe of antihydrogen of Q=(-1.3±1.1±0.4) × 10-8. Here, e is the unit charge, and the errors are from statistics and systematic effects.",

author = "C. Amole and Ashkezari, {M. D.} and M. Baquero-Ruiz and W. Bertsche and E. Butler and A. Capra and Cesar, {C. L.} and M. Charlton and S. Eriksson and J. Fajans and T. Friesen and Fujiwara, {M. C.} and Gill, {D. R.} and A. Gutierrez and Hangst, {J. S.} and Hardy, {W. N.} and Hayden, {M. E.} and Isaac, {C. A.} and S. Jonsell and L. Kurchaninov and A. Little and N. Madsen and McKenna, {J. T.K.} and S. Menary and Napoli, {S. C.} and P. Nolan and K. Olchanski and A. Olin and A. Povilus and P. Pusa and C. Rasmussen and F. Robicheaux and E. Sarid and Silveira, {D. M.} and C. So and Tharp, {T. D.} and Thompson, {R. I.} and {Van Der Werf}, {D. P.} and Z. Vendeiro and Wurtele, {J. S.} and Zhmoginov, {A. I.} and Charman, {A. E.}",

note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by: CNPq, FINEP/RENAFAE (Brazil); ISF (Israel); FNU (Denmark); VR (Sweden); NSERC, NRC/TRIUMF, AITF, FQRNT (Canada); DOE, NSF, LBNL-LDRD (USA); and EPSRC, the Royal Society and the Leverhulme Trust (UK). We are grateful for the efforts of the CERN AD team, without which these experiments could not have taken place.",

year = "2014",

month = jun,

day = "3",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms4955",

language = "English",

volume = "5",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Research",

}

Amole, C, Ashkezari, MD, Baquero-Ruiz, M, Bertsche, W, Butler, E, Capra, A, Cesar, CL, Charlton, M, Eriksson, S, Fajans, J, Friesen, T, Fujiwara, MC, Gill, DR, Gutierrez, A, Hangst, JS, Hardy, WN, Hayden, ME, Isaac, CA, Jonsell, S, Kurchaninov, L, Little, A, Madsen, N, McKenna, JTK, Menary, S, Napoli, SC, Nolan, P, Olchanski, K, Olin, A, Povilus, A, Pusa, P, Rasmussen, C, Robicheaux, F, Sarid, E, Silveira, DM, So, C, Tharp, TD, Thompson, RI, Van Der Werf, DP, Vendeiro, Z, Wurtele, JS, Zhmoginov, AI & Charman, AE 2014, 'An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen', Nature Communications, vol. 5, 3955. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4955

TY - JOUR

T1 - An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen

AU - Amole, C.

AU - Ashkezari, M. D.

AU - Baquero-Ruiz, M.

AU - Bertsche, W.

AU - Butler, E.

AU - Capra, A.

AU - Cesar, C. L.

AU - Charlton, M.

AU - Eriksson, S.

AU - Fajans, J.

AU - Friesen, T.

AU - Fujiwara, M. C.

AU - Gill, D. R.

AU - Gutierrez, A.

AU - Hangst, J. S.

AU - Hardy, W. N.

AU - Hayden, M. E.

AU - Isaac, C. A.

AU - Jonsell, S.

AU - Kurchaninov, L.

AU - Little, A.

AU - Madsen, N.

AU - McKenna, J. T.K.

AU - Menary, S.

AU - Napoli, S. C.

AU - Nolan, P.

AU - Olchanski, K.

AU - Olin, A.

AU - Povilus, A.

AU - Pusa, P.

AU - Rasmussen, C.

AU - Robicheaux, F.

AU - Sarid, E.

AU - Silveira, D. M.

AU - So, C.

AU - Tharp, T. D.

AU - Thompson, R. I.

AU - Van Der Werf, D. P.

AU - Vendeiro, Z.

AU - Wurtele, J. S.

AU - Zhmoginov, A. I.

AU - Charman, A. E.

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by: CNPq, FINEP/RENAFAE (Brazil); ISF (Israel); FNU (Denmark); VR (Sweden); NSERC, NRC/TRIUMF, AITF, FQRNT (Canada); DOE, NSF, LBNL-LDRD (USA); and EPSRC, the Royal Society and the Leverhulme Trust (UK). We are grateful for the efforts of the CERN AD team, without which these experiments could not have taken place.

PY - 2014/6/3

Y1 - 2014/6/3

N2 - The properties of antihydrogen are expected to be identical to those of hydrogen, and any differences would constitute a profound challenge to the fundamental theories of physics. The most commonly discussed antiatom-based tests of these theories are searches for antihydrogen-hydrogen spectral differences (tests of CPT (charge-parity-time) invariance) or gravitational differences (tests of the weak equivalence principle). Here we, the ALPHA Collaboration, report a different and somewhat unusual test of CPT and of quantum anomaly cancellation. A retrospective analysis of the influence of electric fields on antihydrogen atoms released from the ALPHA trap finds a mean axial deflection of 4.1±3.4mm for an average axial electric field of 0.51Vmm-1. Combined with extensive numerical modelling, this measurement leads to a bound on the charge Qe of antihydrogen of Q=(-1.3±1.1±0.4) × 10-8. Here, e is the unit charge, and the errors are from statistics and systematic effects.

AB - The properties of antihydrogen are expected to be identical to those of hydrogen, and any differences would constitute a profound challenge to the fundamental theories of physics. The most commonly discussed antiatom-based tests of these theories are searches for antihydrogen-hydrogen spectral differences (tests of CPT (charge-parity-time) invariance) or gravitational differences (tests of the weak equivalence principle). Here we, the ALPHA Collaboration, report a different and somewhat unusual test of CPT and of quantum anomaly cancellation. A retrospective analysis of the influence of electric fields on antihydrogen atoms released from the ALPHA trap finds a mean axial deflection of 4.1±3.4mm for an average axial electric field of 0.51Vmm-1. Combined with extensive numerical modelling, this measurement leads to a bound on the charge Qe of antihydrogen of Q=(-1.3±1.1±0.4) × 10-8. Here, e is the unit charge, and the errors are from statistics and systematic effects.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901945230&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms4955

DO - 10.1038/ncomms4955

M3 - Article

C2 - 24892800

AN - SCOPUS:84901945230

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 5

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 3955

ER -

An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen

Abstract

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