Atoms (Apr 2018)

Studying Antimatter Gravity with Muonium

  • Aldo Antognini,
  • Daniel M. Kaplan,
  • Klaus Kirch,
  • Andreas Knecht,
  • Derrick C. Mancini,
  • James D. Phillips,
  • Thomas J. Phillips,
  • Robert D. Reasenberg,
  • Thomas J. Roberts,
  • Anna Soter

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/atoms6020017
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 2
p. 17

Abstract

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The gravitational acceleration of antimatter, g ¯ , has yet to be directly measured; an unexpected outcome of its measurement could change our understanding of gravity, the universe, and the possibility of a fifth force. Three avenues are apparent for such a measurement: antihydrogen, positronium, and muonium, the last requiring a precision atom interferometer and novel muonium beam under development. The interferometer and its few-picometer alignment and calibration systems appear feasible. With 100 nm grating pitch, measurements of g ¯ to 10%, 1%, or better can be envisioned. These could constitute the first gravitational measurements of leptonic matter, of 2nd-generation matter, and possibly, of antimatter.

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