One-electron quantum cyclotron (and implications for cold antihydrogen)

Quantum jumps between Fock states of a one-electron oscillator reveal the quantum limit of a cyclotron accelerator. The states live for seconds when spontaneous emission is inhibited by a factor of 140 within a cylindrical Penning trap cavity. Averaged over hours the oscillator is in thermal equilibrium with black-body photons in the cavity. At 80 mK, quantum jumps occur only when resonant microwave photons are introduced into the cavity, opening a route to improved measurements of the magnetic moments of the electron and positron. The temperature demonstrated is about 60 times lower than the 4.2 K temperature at which charged elementary particles were previously stored. Implications for the production of cold antihydrogen are discussed. (21 refs).