Positron and Positronium Collision Dynamics

This project involves experimental and modelling studies of the way in which positrons interact with matter. While the positron the electron antiparticle- is often the stuff of science fiction, they have applications in our everyday lives, the most notable being in the medical imaging technology Positron Emission Tomography - PET scans. They are also used to characterise nanoscale defects in advanced materials. Central to these applications is the way in which positrons interact with matter and while annihilation with an electron is their ultimate destiny, understanding their interactions, and particularly the formation and transport of an exotic 'atom' known as positronium (a short-lived electron-positron pair), is key to understanding the fundamental mechanisms behind these applications of antimatter. This project will study the interactions of positrons with matter, measure the for