Formation of antimaterial atoms that are retained for 15 minutes

2011/09/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Fisika

Antihydrogen atoms have been formed in the CERN laboratory and have been retained for more than 15 minutes before their self-disintegration, specifically 1000 seconds. The experiment has been named ALPHA and the participating researchers have stated that it is enough time for the generated atoms to pass to the basic energy state. It is considered a step forward to get the antiatoms to reach a basic energy state, as it is the necessary condition to be able to make comparisons between antimatería and matter. In fact, six months earlier they managed to form antihydrogen atoms in the ALPHA experiment, but they could only retain it for 0.172 seconds.

Just as hydrogen atoms have a proton and an electron, antihydrogen atoms have an antiproton and a positron. The formation of atoms therefore requires the union of both components. To do this, the researchers used a series of electrodes arranged in cylindrical form, in which, through the electric field created by the electrodes, antiprotons with negative charge and positrons with positive charge were captured, obtaining through the interaction of both antihydrogen atoms.

Because the generated antiatoms have no charge, they could not use the electric field for retention. Instead the magnetic field was used. By turning off the apparatus that formed the magnetic field, they were able to demonstrate that they formed antihydrogen atoms. As this force disappeared, the antiatoms evolved into the walls of the electrodes and then disintegrated. Since the electrodes are made up of common materials, contact between the antihydrogen and hydrogen atoms, both disintegrate and emit particle bundles called pions.