Articles tagged with "particle-accelerator"
US test accelerator fires first proton beams to power future colliders
US researchers at Fermilab have successfully accelerated and stored the first proton beams in the FAST/IOTA test accelerator, marking a significant advancement in particle accelerator R&D. The proton beams circulate in the IOTA ring at about 7% of the speed of light, enabling scientists to explore new methods for controlling and stabilizing high-intensity beams. This facility, combining a low-voltage proton source with a radio-frequency quadrupole accelerator, allows experiments without disrupting larger production accelerators, providing a flexible platform for testing innovative accelerator technologies. The achievement supports ongoing upgrades to Fermilab’s proton accelerator complex, including the PIP-II project, which aims to deliver higher-intensity beams for neutrino experiments such as the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment. FAST/IOTA also pioneers the integration of artificial intelligence in accelerator design and operation, using detailed digital models to simulate machine behavior and train AI systems. These virtual accelerators help optimize performance and identify new configurations before physical testing, potentially transforming how particle accelerators
energyparticle-acceleratorproton-beamshigh-intensity-beamsaccelerator-physicsFermilabPIP-II-projectHuge cryogenic cold boxes lowered underground for LHC's major upgrade
CERN engineers have successfully installed two large cryogenic “cold boxes” deep underground near the ATLAS and CMS detectors as part of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HiLumi LHC) upgrade. Manufactured by Linde in Germany, these cold boxes are essential components of the new refrigeration systems designed to cool the collider’s superconducting magnets to an ultra-low temperature of 1.9 kelvins (−271.3 °C), just a few degrees above absolute zero. This extreme cooling is necessary to enhance the magnets’ performance, thereby increasing the collider’s luminosity—the rate of particle collisions—which allows physicists to gather more data and explore fundamental particles with greater precision. The refrigeration system works by first precooling helium to 4.5 kelvins on the surface before it is further cooled underground to 1.9 kelvins through pressure reduction in the magnet cryostats, aided by four cold compressors integrated into the cold boxes. Installation of the cry
energycryogenicssuperconducting-magnetsparticle-acceleratorhelium-coolingLarge-Hadron-ColliderHiLumi-LHC-upgradeCERN chills LHC magnets to -456°F in major step toward 10× more data
CERN has initiated the cryogenic cooldown of a 312-foot-long test stand known as the Inner Triplet String (IT String) as part of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HiLumi LHC) upgrade. This full-scale replica of the upgraded magnet system will be chilled to 1.9 Kelvin (-456°F), colder than outer space, to validate the performance of the superconducting niobium-tin inner triplet magnets and associated infrastructure. These magnets are critical for tightly focusing proton beams in the collider and represent a significant advancement over the current niobium-titanium magnets. The cooldown process, which will take several weeks, tests the integration of magnets, cryogenics, protection, and power systems ahead of their installation during the upcoming Long Shutdown 3 (LS3), a four-year overhaul scheduled to begin soon. The HiLumi LHC upgrade aims to increase the collider’s luminosity by a factor of 10, enabling researchers to observe
energysuperconducting-magnetscryogenicsparticle-acceleratorhigh-luminosity-LHCniobium-tin-magnetsCERNYouTuber captures 'lightning in a bottle' using particle accelerator
A YouTuber known as Electron Impressions successfully created a literal "lightning in a bottle" by using a particle accelerator to generate permanent, three-dimensional Lichtenberg figures inside a clear acrylic cylinder. These figures are intricate, branching electrical patterns formed by firing high-energy electrons into insulating materials, which deposit charge internally. When this charge is released, it fractures the material along dielectric breakdown paths, creating tree-like lightning patterns. Previously, such designs were limited to flat shapes, but this experiment advanced the technique by producing uniform patterns within a fully cylindrical form. Achieving this required overcoming significant technical challenges. Since electrons from a linear accelerator deposit charge at a fixed depth and direction, the acrylic cylinder had to be rotated rapidly (about 150 RPM) under the stationary beam to ensure even radial charge distribution. The rotating mechanism was engineered to withstand the intense radiation environment inside the accelerator, using radiation-tolerant components such as a brushed DC motor powered by a lead-acid battery, lead shielding, and
energymaterialsparticle-acceleratorradiation-resistant-materialsLichtenberg-figuresacrylicelectron-beamGoogle-backed US nuclear fusion firm partners with UK team for neutral beam tech
TAE Technologies, a US private nuclear fusion company backed by Google, has partnered with the UK’s Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) to form a joint venture called TAE Beam UK. This collaboration aims to commercialize proprietary neutral beam particle accelerator technology, which is crucial for nuclear fusion energy production, as well as adapt it for medical applications like cancer therapeutics, food safety, and homeland security. Operating out of UKAEA’s Culham Campus, the venture will receive a $7.4 million equity investment from UKAEA, complemented by significant funding from TAE Technologies. The joint venture plans to deliver its first short-pulse neutral beams within 18 to 24 months, pending regulatory approvals. Neutral beam technology is essential in fusion reactors for heating and stabilizing plasma by injecting high-energy neutral hydrogen atoms that can penetrate magnetic fields. TAE Technologies currently uses eight such beams in its fusion machines, enabling a smaller and more cost-effective reactor design. The technology has also been adapted by TAE’s
energynuclear-fusionneutral-beam-technologyplasma-confinementparticle-acceleratorTAE-TechnologiesUKAEAScientists find cancer-fighting isotope hidden in accelerator waste
Scientists at the University of York have developed a novel method to convert radiation waste from particle accelerators into copper-67, a rare and valuable medical isotope used in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Particle accelerators, such as those at CERN, generate intense beams of high-energy particles that end in a “beam dump,” where leftover radiation is typically discarded as waste heat. The York team discovered that the photons in this radiation can be harnessed to produce copper-67, which functions as a theranostic agent—capable of both destroying cancer cells and enabling doctors to monitor treatment progress through diagnostic imaging. This isotope is currently in clinical trials for aggressive cancers like neuroblastoma and prostate cancer but is limited globally due to costly and infrastructure-heavy production methods. The innovation stands out because it allows particle accelerators to generate copper-67 continuously and cost-effectively without interrupting their primary physics research. By utilizing the accelerator’s existing radiation waste, the method maximizes resource use and provides a parallel source of life-saving
energyparticle-acceleratormedical-isotopecopper-67cancer-treatmentradiation-wastenuclear-medicineNuclear fusion gets electrochemical shock to boost reaction rates
Scientists at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have developed a novel method to enhance nuclear fusion reaction rates at room temperature using a compact, bench-top reactor called the Thunderbird Reactor. This device combines a particle accelerator with an electrochemical cell to load deuterium fuel into a palladium metal target from two sides: a plasma field on one side and electrochemical loading on the other. The electrochemical process, which applies just one volt of electricity, effectively "squeezes" more deuterium into the metal, achieving what normally requires extremely high pressures. This dual-loading approach resulted in a 15% increase in deuterium–deuterium fusion events, marking the first demonstration of fusion using this combination of techniques, although the experiment did not achieve net energy gain. This research represents a significant shift from traditional fusion experiments that rely on large, high-temperature reactors, potentially democratizing fusion science by enabling smaller-scale, more accessible laboratory setups. The work builds on a 2015
energynuclear-fusionelectrochemistryparticle-acceleratordeuteriumpalladiumfusion-researchNuclear waste could supply rare hydrogen fuel for US fusion reactors
Scientists in the United States are exploring a novel method to recycle nuclear waste to produce tritium, a rare isotope of hydrogen essential for nuclear fusion reactors. Nuclear fusion, which fuses atoms to release large amounts of nearly emission-free energy, requires both deuterium and tritium as fuel. While deuterium is abundant, tritium is scarce and expensive, with current commercial prices around $15 million per pound. The US lacks domestic tritium production capability and relies on limited global supplies, primarily from Canadian reactors. Given the US’s vast stockpiles of radioactive nuclear waste from fission power plants, researchers see an opportunity to generate tritium from this waste, potentially turning a costly disposal problem into a valuable resource. Physicist Terence Tarnowsky at Los Alamos National Laboratory conducted computer simulations of reactor designs that use particle accelerators to initiate atom-splitting reactions in nuclear waste. These reactions release neutrons that, through subsequent nuclear transitions, produce trit
energynuclear-fusiontritium-productionnuclear-waste-recyclingclean-energyparticle-acceleratorfusion-reactorsScientists test faster, gentler proton beams for cancer treatment
Scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory have tested a novel permanent magnet array designed to improve proton beam cancer therapy by enabling rapid switching across a wide energy range (50 to 250 MeV), the highest energy achieved for such a beamline. This capability allows proton beams to reach tumors at varying depths quickly, facilitating ultra-fast, high-dose "FLASH" treatments that deliver radiation so rapidly healthy tissues adjacent to tumors are better preserved, potentially reducing side effects compared to conventional methods. Unlike traditional proton therapy machines that use electromagnets requiring time-consuming power adjustments to change beam energy, this new design employs fixed permanent magnets arranged in a curved array. The magnetic field strength varies along the arc, allowing proton beams of different energies to follow stable paths simultaneously without needing to adjust magnet power. This innovation supports both high dose rates and rapid energy scaling, overcoming limitations of current systems. Additionally, the compact racetrack-shaped accelerator (about 30 by 10 feet) is small enough to fit in hospital settings, making advanced proton
energyproton-therapycancer-treatmentpermanent-magnetsparticle-acceleratorradiation-therapymedical-physicsChina makes first advanced cryomodule for nuclear research facility
China has achieved a significant breakthrough in particle accelerator technology by developing its first high-performance double-spoke superconducting cavity cryomodule. This advancement supports Phase II of the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS-II), a leading facility for nuclear physics and advanced materials research. The two superconducting cavities demonstrated impressive acceleration strengths of 12.8 and 15.2 megavolts per meter during pulsed operation tests. Key technical improvements included reducing peak electric fields, preventing multipacting, and simplifying manufacturing, complemented by a novel chemical polishing technique that enhanced cavity quality factors (Q-values exceeding 3.4×10¹⁰ at 9 MV/m). The cryomodule design incorporates carbon fiber tie rods to minimize heat loss and allow precise cavity positioning under cryogenic conditions, alongside a carefully controlled cooling process to maintain high performance. The CSNS, the world’s fourth pulsed accelerator-driven neutron source, reached its initial design power of 100 kilowatts in 2020
energynuclear-researchsuperconducting-cavitycryomoduleparticle-acceleratorfusion-energymaterials-scienceCERN cools giant 20-ton magnets at -456°F for 10x particle collision
CERN is nearing completion of a critical test facility for the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC), an upgrade designed to increase the accelerator’s luminosity—the number of particle collisions—by a factor of ten. The facility includes a 95-meter-long test stand replicating new magnet segments weighing between 10 and 20 tons, which must operate at an ultra-cold temperature of -456°F (-271°C) using superfluid helium to achieve superconductivity. These advanced magnets, made from a novel niobium-tin alloy, can generate magnetic fields of 11.3 tesla, significantly stronger than the current 8.3-tesla magnets, enabling denser particle beams and more precise collision experiments. The test stand, known as the “IT String,” serves as a full-scale rehearsal to validate the integration and performance of these components under extreme conditions before installation in the main LHC tunnel. This phase involves managing complex electrical circuits carrying over 100,
energysuperconducting-magnetsparticle-acceleratorniobium-tin-alloycryogenicsLarge-Hadron-Colliderhigh-luminosity-upgradeUS to shrink nuclear waste with compact particle accelerator tech
energynuclear-wasteparticle-acceleratorsuperconducting-materialswaste-transmutationArgonne-National-LaboratoryFermilab