用于里德伯原子研究的大面积场电离探测器。

Large-area field-ionization detector for the study of Rydberg atoms.

作者信息

Jones A C L, Piñeiro A M, Roeder E E, Rutbeck-Goldman H J, Tom H W K, Mills A P

机构信息

Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA.

出版信息

Rev Sci Instrum. 2016 Nov;87(11):113307. doi: 10.1063/1.4967305.

DOI:10.1063/1.4967305

PMID:27910370

Abstract

We describe here the development and characterization of a micro-channel plate (MCP) based detector designed for the efficient collection and detection of Rydberg positronium (Ps) atoms for use in a time-of-flight apparatus. The designed detector collects Rydberg atoms over a large area (∼4 times greater than the active area of the MCP), ionizing incident atoms and then collecting and focusing the freed positrons onto the MCP. Here we discuss the function, design, and optimization of the device. The detector has an efficiency for Rydberg Ps that is two times larger than that of the γ-ray scintillation detector based scheme it has been designed to replace, with half the background signal. In principle, detectors of the type described here could be readily employed for the detection of any Rydberg atom species, provided a sufficient field can be applied to achieve an ionization rate of ≥10/s. In such cases, the best time resolution would be achieved by collecting ionized electrons rather than the positive ions.

摘要

我们在此描述一种基于微通道板（MCP）的探测器的研制与特性，该探测器旨在高效收集和探测用于飞行时间装置中的里德堡正电子素（Ps）原子。所设计的探测器在大面积上收集里德堡原子（约为MCP有效面积的4倍），使入射原子电离，然后将释放出的正电子收集并聚焦到MCP上。在此我们讨论该装置的功能、设计和优化。该探测器对里德堡Ps的探测效率比其设计所替代的基于γ射线闪烁探测器的方案高出两倍，背景信号则减半。原则上，只要能施加足够的场以实现≥10/s的电离率，这里描述的这种类型的探测器可很容易地用于探测任何种类的里德堡原子。在这种情况下，通过收集电离电子而非正离子可实现最佳时间分辨率。