Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

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

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

54 Scopus citations

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 languageEnglish
Article number3955
JournalNature Communications
Volume5
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Jun 2014
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An experimental limit on the charge of antihydrogen'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this