Demonstration of the Double Penning Trap Technique with a Single Proton

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates a double Penning trap technique with a single proton, which could significantly enhance the precision of antiproton magnetic moment measurements by enabling better spin-state analysis.

Contribution

It introduces and experimentally validates the double Penning trap method for single protons, paving the way for more precise fundamental particle measurements.

Findings

Successful spin-flip driving in a homogeneous magnetic field

Effective spin-state analysis using the double trap setup

Potential for three orders of magnitude improvement in antiproton magnetic moment measurements

Abstract

Spin flips of a single proton were driven in a Penning trap with a homogeneous magnetic field. For the spin-state analysis the proton was transported into a second Penning trap with a superimposed magnetic bottle, and the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect was applied. This first demonstration of the double Penning trap technique with a single proton suggests that the antiproton magnetic moment measurement can potentially be improved by three orders of magnitude or more.