Do Electrons and Ions Coexist in an EBIT?

Detailed analysis of an extended exponential tail observed in the decay curve of the 2 P3/2- 2 P1/2 magnetic dipole (M1) transition in boron-like Ar 13+ provides evidence that electrons and ions might coexist in the same spatial region in the Heidelberg Electron Beam Ion Trap (HD-EBIT). On this basis, new trapping-cooling-recombination schemes for positron-antiproton plasmas are envisioned, integrated in a magnetic bottle configuration that should be able to trap the subsequently formed recombined cold antihydrogen. Moreover, the EBIT configuration, providing excellent spectroscopic access to the trapping region via seven view ports is shown to be well suited for performing precision spectroscopy of antiprotonic ions. Those might be generated either by recombination of antiprotons with neutral gas atoms or through radiative recombination and state-selective dielectronic- recombination-like processes with highly charged ions produced and stored in the EBIT simultaneously in a nested trap configuration.