Influence of a Static Electric Field on Positronium Formation in Polymers

Abstract

The effect of a static electric field on positronium formation in some polymeric materials was detected by a study of the time delay spectrum of the annihilation $\gamma$ rays. Typical nonpolar polymers, like polyethylene and Teflon, show a strong decrease in positronium formation with increasing electric field, (33% and 13%, respectively, at 50 kv/cm), while no effect was found in polar polymers, like Lucite, nylon, and polyvinyl chloride.