Laser-assisted formation of antihydrogen - art. no. 023401

Capture of slow antiprotons by atomic hydrogen and positronium is simulated by the classical trajectory Monte Carlo method. Statistically accurate cro ss sections for protonium and antihydrogen formation are obtained and the e nergy dependence of the process is established. The results agree very well with experimental data for proton capture by positronium. Antihydrogen for mation from anti proton-positronium collisions in the presence of a laser i s simulated and the effects of laser polarization, frequency, and intensity are studied. Enhancements of the antihydrogen formation cross section are observed. For example, an increase of 70% is found for light of intensity 1 .4 x 10(13) W cm(-2) and wavelength lambda = 248 nm, for an antiproton coll ision energy of 1 keV.