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The Cold Electron Research (CERES) apparatus.

Above is a photo of the CERES apparatus that was constructed at Berkeley to study the cooling behavior of lepton plasmas. The device was conceived as an experimental platform for studying cyclotron-cavity coupling and prototyping various lepton plasma diagnostics and procedures for use in the ALPHA experiment. As such, many of the features are similar to ALPHA’s structure. Plasmas are confined in a cylindrical Penning trap, placed in the bore of a large superconducting solenoid magnet. Similarly, electrodes are cooled to cryogenic temperatures, so that confined plasmas are expected to equilibrate to lower temperatures. In both systems, electrons are generated by a heated filament and plasma diagnostics are primarily achieved using a microchannel plate (MCP) imaging assembly.

The device is specialized for cold, electron plasma studies. CERES has reduced cavity complexity so that modes are easier to predict and match experimentally. Electrode design was modified to ensure higher Q values in the cavity region. Two cryogenic doors were introduced on either side of the cavity region to ensure that the experimental region fully isolated from external radiation.

Electrode Control System

In order to measure the resonant-cavity phenomenon, an electromagnetic cavity was built that was capable of generating electrostatic potentials to confine and manipulate charged particle in a high magnetic field.

Probing Anti-Hydrogen

One of the main purposes of the experiment is to increase the cooling rate of plasmas. What we learn here will help in the production and trapping of Antihydrogen at the ALPHA experiment.

Cryogenic System

In an effort to reduce operating costs, the cryogenics system had to be designed to reduce liquid helium consumption, introducing a closed-loop cryocooler refrigeration system for use in cooling the experimental region.