Low Energy Antiproton Experiments -- A Review

TL;DR

Low energy antiproton experiments enable detailed tests of fundamental symmetries, interactions, and constants in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics, with recent advances and promising future discoveries.

Contribution

This review summarizes recent experimental techniques and results involving low energy antiprotons, highlighting their role in testing fundamental physics and potential for new discoveries.

Findings

Precise measurements of antiproton properties.

Tests of the CPT theorem and bound QED.

Production and study of antihydrogen and antiprotonic atoms.

Abstract

Low energy antiprotons offer excellent opportunities to study properties of fundamental forces and symmetries in nature. Experiments with them can contribute substantially to deepen our fundamental knowledge in atomic, nuclear and particle physics. Searches for new interactions can be carried out by studying discrete symmetries. Known interactions can be tested precisely and fundamental constants can be extracted from accurate measurements on free antiprotons ($\bar{p}$'s) and bound two- and three-body systems such as antihydrogen ($\bar{{\rm H}}=\bar{p}e^-$), the antprotonic helium ion (He$^{++} \bar{p}$)$^+$ and the antiprotonic atomcule (He$^{++} \bar{p}e^-$) . The trapping of a single $\bar{p}$ in a Penning trap, the formation and precise studies of antiprotonic helium ions and atoms and recently the production of $\bar{{\rm H}}$ have been among the pioneering experiments. They have led already to precise values for $\bar{p}$ parameters, accurate tests of bound two- and three-body Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), tests of the CPT theorem and a better understanding of atom formation from their constituents. Future experiments promise more precise tests of the standard theory and have a robust potential to discover new physics.