Scientists fired up Nanophotonic Electron Accelerator (NEA), World’s smallest particle accelerator
Researchers have successfully activated the world’s smallest particle accelerator, called a nanophotonic electron accelerator (NEA). It uses miniature laser beams to accelerate electrons, marking a departure from traditional particle accelerator technology.
NEA consists of a small microchip containing an even smaller vacuum tube which is made up of thousands of
individual pillars.
- Main goal of creating these accelerators is to utilise the energy given by accelerated electrons in targeted
medical treatments for cancer.
NEA is similar to Large Hadron Collider (LHC) as both create a magnetic field to accelerate particles.
- However, main acceleration tube of NEA (~0.02 inches long) is 54 million times shorter than 27- kilometre ring of CERN’s LHC.
- Also, LHC uses more than 9,000 magnets to create magnetic fields and NEA works by firing light beams at
pillars in vacuum tube.
Particle accelerators are devices that speed up charged particles, (protons or electrons), at high speeds, close to speed of light. They are then smashed either onto a target or against other particles circulating in opposite direction.
- They are essential for fundamental research for an improved understanding of matter, discovery for particle and nuclear physics and for sciences that use x-rays and neutrons.
- They also have applications related to health, environmental monitoring, food quality, etc. Scientists fired up Nanophotonic Electron Accelerator (NEA), World’s smallest particle accelerator
LHC: Most powerful particle accelerator ever built that pushes protons or ions to near speed of light.
CERN: Founded in 1954, CERN laboratory is situated at Franco- Swiss border near Geneva. It has 23 member states with India as an Associate Member State.