Using a deformed crystal for bending a sub-GeV positron beam

We analyze the scattering of 480 MeV positrons in bent crystal lattices carried out at the Beam Test Facility of the INFN – Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati. We observe experimentally that some particles follow the bending of the crystal lattice, presumably being guided by channeling phenomenon, and are deflected through the angles of about 10 mrad over length of 1 mm of silicon. This technique may lead to the use of channeling effect for steering of particle beams at the energies under 1 GeV, aimed at the production of ultrastable beams of low emittance for medical and biological applications.