Positron trapping in a magnetic mirror configuration

Abstract

In a first step toward generating an electron–positron plasma, a proof‐of‐principle experiment is reported in which externally injected slow positrons are trapped in a magnetic mirror configuration by electron cyclotron resonance heating. With a primary flux of only 530 slow positrons/s from a 600 μCi Na‐22 positron source/moderator system, an estimated equilibrium density of 5×10² cm⁻³ is obtained in a 20 cm³ volume. With an appropriate increase of the injected positron flux, densities in the 10⁷ cm⁻³ range can be expected.