Collision Dynamics of Correlated Quantum Systems

A fully-funded 3 year Fellowship is available under the supervision of Prof Carsten Welsch and Drs Hao Zhang and Javier Resta Lopez.
The study of the collision dynamics of correlated quantum systems can be done by crossing a gas jet target with a beam of low energy antiprotons. Antiproton (projectile) energies between 20 keV and some MeV correspond to interaction strength between a weekly perturbed system (where approximation theories can be applied) and strong perturbation (where all details of the interaction need to be taken into account in theoretical models).

However, this requires beam compression to a diameter of around 1 mm and a pulse length of 1-2 ns or a highly optimized compact recycler ring. This project aims at the development of an experimental setup for these studies for both, ELENA and FLAIR conditions. Studies will include the identification of methods to realize compact (less than 1 mm diameter), ultra-short (1-2 ns duration) antiproton beam pulses as required for investigations into the importance of correlation effects in quantum systems. Compression will be based on higher harmonic bunching and phase space ‘gymnastics’ and, for the first time, extended to a full 3D description of bunches motion, including all effects on the beam (intra beam scattering, phase space rotation, scattering, cooling). In-ring schemes will be studied, along (quasi) single-pass setups where the spectrometer would be installed into an external beam line or a dedicated small storage ring.