List of accelerators in particle physics explained

A list of particle accelerators used for particle physics experiments. Some early particle accelerators that more properly did nuclear physics, but existed prior to the separation of particle physics from that field, are also included. Although a modern accelerator complex usually has several stages of accelerators, only accelerators whose output has been used directly for experiments are listed.

Early accelerators

These all used single beams with fixed targets. They tended to have very briefly run, inexpensive, and unnamed experiments.

Cyclotrons

See main article: Cyclotron.

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		ShapeAccelerated ParticleKinetic
Energy 		Notes and discoveries made
9-inch cyclotronUniversity of California, Berkeley1931Circular H1.0 MeVProof of concept
11-inch cyclotronUniversity of California, Berkeley1932Circular Proton1.2 MeV
27-inch cyclotronUniversity of California, Berkeley1932–1936CircularDeuteron4.8 MeVInvestigated deuteron-nucleus interactions
37-inch cyclotronUniversity of California, Berkeley1937–1938CircularDeuteron8 MeVDiscovered many isotopes
60-inch cyclotron University of California, Berkeley1939–1962[1] CircularDeuteron16 MeVDiscovered many isotopes.
88-inch cyclotronBerkeley Rad Lab, now Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory1961–PresentCircular (Isochronous)Hydrogen through uraniumMeV to several GeVDiscovered many isotopes. Verified two element discoveries. Performed the world's first single event effects radiation testing in 1979, and tested parts and materials for most US spacecraft since then.
184-inch cyclotronBerkeley Rad Lab1942–1993CircularVariousMeV to GeVResearch on uranium isotope separation
CalutronsY-12 Plant, Oak Ridge, TN1943–"Horseshoe"Uranium nucleiUsed to separate Uranium 235 isotope for the Manhattan project, after the end of World War II used for separation of medical and other isotopes.
95-inch cyclotronHarvard Cyclotron Laboratory1949–2002CircularProton160 MeVUsed for nuclear physics 1949 – ~ 1961, development of clinical proton therapy until 2002
JULICForschungszentrum Juelich, Germany1967–presentCircularProton, deuteron75 MeVNow used as a preaccelerator for COSY and irradiation purposes
[1] The magnetic pole pieces and return yoke from the 60-inch cyclotron were later moved to UC Davis and incorporated into a 76-inch isochronous cyclotron which is still in use today[1]

Other early accelerator types

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		Shape
and size		Accelerated
particle		Kinetic
Energy 		Notes and discoveries made
Linear particle acceleratorAachen University, Germany1928Linear BeamlineIon50 keVProof of concept
Cockcroft and Walton's
electrostatic accelerator		Cavendish Laboratory1932See Cockroft-
Walton generator		Proton0.7 MeVFirst to artificially split the nucleus (Lithium)
BetatronSiemens-Schuckertwerke, Germany1935CircularElectron1.8 MeVProof of concept

Synchrotrons

See main article: Synchrotron.

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		Shape and sizeAccelerated
particle		Kinetic Energy Notes and discoveries madeINSPIRE link
CosmotronBNL1953–1968Circular ring
(72 meters around)		Proton3.3 GeVDiscovery of V particles, first artificial production of some mesonsINSPIRE
Birmingham SynchrotronUniversity of Birmingham1953–1967Proton1 GeV
BevatronBerkeley Rad Lab1954–~1970"Race track"Proton6.2 GeVStrange particle experiments, antiproton and antineutron discovered, resonances discoveredINSPIRE
Bevalac, combination of SuperHILAC linear accelerator, a diverting tube, then the BevatronBerkeley Rad Lab~1970–1993Linear accelerator followed by "race track"Any and all sufficiently stable nuclei could be acceleratedObservation of compressed nuclear matter. Depositing ions in tumors in cancer research.INSPIRE
SaturneSaclay, France1958–1997[2] 3 GeVINSPIRE
SynchrophasotronDubna, RussiaDecember 1957 – 200310 GeVINSPIRE
Zero Gradient SynchrotronANL1963–197912.5 GeVINSPIRE
U-70 Proton SynchrotronIHEP, Russia1967–presentCircular ring
(perimeter around 1.5 km)		Proton70 GeVINSPIRE
Proton SynchrotronCERN1959–presentCircular ring
(628 meters around)		Proton26 GeVUsed to feed ISR (until 1984), SPS, LHC, ADINSPIRE
Proton Synchrotron BoosterCERN1972–presentCircular SynchrotronProtons1.4 GeVUsed to feed PS, ISOLDEINSPIRE
Super Proton SynchrotronCERN1976–presentCircular SynchrotronProtons and ions450 GeVCOMPASS, OPERA and ICARUS at Laboratori Nazionali del Gran SassoINSPIRE
Alternating Gradient SynchrotronBNL1960–presentCircular ring
(808 meters)		Proton (unpolarized and polarized), deuteron, helium-3, copper, gold, uranium33 GeVJ/ψ, muon neutrino, CP violation in kaons, injects heavy ions and polarized protons into RHICINSPIRE
Proton Synchrotron (KEK)KEK1976–2007Circular ringProton12 GeV
COSYJuelich, Germany1993–presentCircular ring (183.47 m)Protons, Deuterons2.88 GeVThe legacy of the experimental hadron physics programme at COSYINSPIRE
ALBACerdañola del Vallés, Spain2011–presentCircular ring (270 m)Electrons3 GeVINSPIRE
SiriusSão Paulo State, Brazil2018–presentCircular ring (518.4 m)Electrons, Au, Sn, TiO23 GeVINSPIRE
Australian SynchrotronMonash University, Melbourne2007–presentCircular ring (216 m)Electrons3 GeVINSPIRE

Fixed-target accelerators

More modern accelerators that were also run in fixed target mode; often, they will also have been run as colliders, or accelerated particles for use in subsequently built colliders.

High intensity hadron accelerators (Meson and neutron sources)

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		Shape and sizeAccelerated ParticleKinetic Energy Notes and discoveries madeINSPIRE link
High Current Proton Accelerator Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (originally Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility)Los Alamos National Laboratory1972–PresentLinear (800 m)
and
Circular (30 m)		Protons800 MeVNeutron materials research, proton radiography, high energy neutron research, ultra cold neutronsINSPIRE
PSI, HIPA High Intensity 590 MeV Proton AcceleratorPSI, Villigen, Switzerland1974–present0.8 MeV CW, 72 MeV Injector 2,590 MeV RingcyclotronProtons590 MeV, 2.4 mA, =1.4 MWHighest beam power, used for meson and neutron production with applications in materials scienceINSPIRE
TRIUMF CyclotronTRIUMF, Vancouver BC1974–presentCircularH-ion500 MeVWorld's largest cyclotron, at 17.9mINSPIRE
ISIS neutron sourceRutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus,Oxfordshire, United Kingdom1984–presentH- Linac followed by proton RCSProtons800 MeVINSPIRE
Spallation Neutron SourceOak Ridge National Laboratory2006–PresentLinear (335 m) and
Circular (248 m)		Protons800 MeV – 1 GeV Produces the most intense pulsed neutron beams in the world for scientific research and industrial development.INSPIRE
J-PARC RCSTōkai, Ibaraki2007–PresentTriangular, 348m circumferenceProtons3 GeVUsed for material and life sciences and input to J-PARC main ringINSPIRE

Electron and low intensity hadron accelerators

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		Shape
and size		Accelerated
particle		Kinetic
Energy 		ExperimentsNotesINSPIRE link
Antiproton AccumulatorCERN1980–1996Design studyINSPIRE
Antiproton collectorCERN1986–1996AntiprotonsDesign studyINSPIRE
NuclotronJINR1992–presentCircular ringProton and heavy ions12.6 GeV (protons), 4.5 Gev/n (heavy ions)INSPIRE
Antiproton DeceleratorCERN2000–presentStorage ringProtons and antiprotons26 GeVATHENA, ATRAP, ASACUSA, ACE, ALPHA, AEGISDesign studyINSPIRE
Low Energy Antiproton RingCERN1982–1996AntiprotonsPS210Design studyINSPIRE
Cambridge Electron AcceleratorHarvard University and MIT, Cambridge, MA1962–1974[3] 236 ft diameter synchrotron[4] Electrons6 GeV
SLAC LinacSLAC National Accelerator Laboratory1966–present3 km linear
accelerator		Electron/
Positron		50 GeVRepeatedly upgraded, used to feed PEP, SPEAR, SLC, and PEP-II. Now split into 1 km sections feeding LCLS, FACET & LCLS-II.INSPIRE
Fermilab BoosterFermilab1970–presentCircular synchrotronProtons8 GeVMiniBooNEINSPIRE
Fermilab Main InjectorFermilab1995–presentCircular synchrotronProtons and antiprotons150 GeVMINOS, MINERνA, NOνAINSPIRE
Fermilab Main RingFermilab1970–1995Circular synchrotronProtons and antiprotons400 GeV (until 1979), 150 GeV thereafter
Electron Synchrotron of FrascatiLaboratori Nazionali di Frascati1959–? (decommissioned)9m circular synchrotronElectron1.1 GeV
Bates Linear AcceleratorMiddleton, MA1967–2005500 MeV recirculating linac and storage ringPolarized electrons1 GeVINSPIRE
Continuous Electron Beam Accelerator Facility (CEBAF)Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA1995–present6 GeV recirculating linac (recently upgraded to 12 GeV)Polarized electrons6–12 GeVDVCS, PrimEx II, Qweak, GlueXFirst large-scale deployment of superconducting RF technology.INSPIRE
ELSAPhysikalisches Institut der Universität Bonn, Germany1987–presentSynchrotron and stretcher(Polarized) electrons3.5 GeVBGOOD,Crystal BarrelINSPIRE
MAMIMainz, Germany1975–PresentMultilevel racetrack microtronPolarized electrons1.5 GeV acceleratorA1 – Electron Scattering, A2 – Real Photons, A4 – Parity Violation, X1 – X-Ray RadiationINSPIRE
TevatronFermilab1983–2011Superconducting circular synchrotronProtons980 GeV INSPIRE
Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC)GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany1974–PresentLinear (120 m)Ions of all naturally occurring elements2–11.4  MeV/u INSPIRE
Schwerionensynchrotron (SIS18)GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany1990–PresentSynchrotron with 271 m circumferenceIons of all naturally occurring elementsU: 50–1000 MeV/u
Ne: 50–2000 MeV/u
p: 4,5 GeV 		INSPIRE
Experimental Storage Ring (ESR)GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt, Germany1990–PresentIons of all naturally occurring elements0.005 – 0.5  GeV/u
J-PARC Main RingTōkai, Ibaraki2009–PresentTriangular, 500m diameterProtons30 GeVJ-PARC Hadron Experimental Facility, T2KCan also provide 8 GeV beamINSPIRE
Low Energy Neutron Source (LENS)Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana (USA)2004–PresentLinearProtons13 MeV[5] SANS, SESAME, MISLENS Website
Cornell BNL ERL Test Accelerator (CBETA)[6]
Cornell University, Ithaca / NY (USA)2019–PresentEnergy recovery linac with SRF cavities, 4 turns, and all beams in one fixed field alternating-gradient lattice of permanent magnetsElectrons150 MeVA prototype facility for Electron Ion CollidersINSPIRE

Colliders

Electron–positron colliders

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		Shape
and circumference		Electron
energy		Positron
energy 		ExperimentsNotable DiscoveriesINSPIRE link
AdALNF, Frascati, Italy; Orsay, France1961–1964Circular, 3 meters250 MeV250 MeVTouschek effect (1963); first e+e− interactions recorded (1964)INSPIRE
Princeton-Stanford (e−e−)Stanford, California1962–1967Two-ring, 12 m300 MeV300 MeVe−e− interactions
VEP-1 (e−e−)INP, Novosibirsk, Soviet Union1964–1968Two-ring, 2.70 m130 MeV130 MeVe−e− scattering; QED radiative effects confirmedINSPIRE
VEPP-2INP, Novosibirsk, Soviet Union1965–1974Circular, 11.5 m700 MeV700 MeVOLYA, CMDmultihadron production (1966), e+e−→φ (1966), e+e−→γγ (1971)INSPIRE
ACOLAL, Orsay, France1965–1975Circular, 22 m550 MeV550 MeVρ0, K+K−,φ3C, μ+μ−, M2N and DM1Vector meson studies; then ACO was used as synchrotron light source until 1988INSPIRE
SPEARSLAC1972–1990(?)Circular3 GeV3 GeVMark I, Mark II, Mark IIIDiscovery of Charmonium states and Tau leptonINSPIRE
VEPP-2MBINP, Novosibirsk1974–2000Circular, 17.88 m700 MeV700 MeVND, SND, CMD-2e+e− cross sections, radiative decays of ρ, ω, and φ mesonsINSPIRE
DORISDESY1974–1993Circular, 300m5 GeV5 GeVARGUS, Crystal Ball, DASP, PLUTOOscillation in neutral B mesonsINSPIRE
PETRADESY1978–1986Circular, 2 km20 GeV -->20 GeV -->JADE, MARK-J, CELLO, PLUTO, TASSODiscovery of the gluon in three jet eventsINSPIRE
CESRCornell University1979–2002Circular, 768m6 GeV6 GeV CUSB, CHESS, CLEO, CLEO-2, CLEO-2.5, CLEO-3First observation of B decay, charmless and "radiative penguin" B decaysINSPIRE
PEPSLAC1980–1990(?)Mark IIINSPIRE
SLCSLAC1988–1998(?)Addition to
SLAC Linac		45 GeV45 GeVSLD, Mark IIFirst linear colliderINSPIRE
LEPCERN1989–2000Circular, 27 km104 GeV 104 GeV Aleph, Delphi, Opal, L3Only 3 light (m ≤ mZ/2) weakly interacting neutrinos exist, implying only three generations of quarks and leptonsINSPIRE
BEPCBeijing, China1989–2004Circular, 240m2.2 GeV2.2 GeVBeijing Spectrometer (I and II)INSPIRE
VEPP-4MBINP, Novosibirsk1994–Circular, 366m6.0 GeV6.0 GeVKEDRPrecise measurement of psi-meson masses, two-photon physics
PEP-IISLAC1998–2008Circular, 2.2 km9 GeV3.1 GeVBaBarDiscovery of CP violation in B meson systemINSPIRE
KEKBKEK1999–2009Circular, 3 km8.0 GeV3.5 GeVBelleDiscovery of CP violation in B meson system
DAΦNELNF, Frascati, Italy1999–presentCircular, 98m0.7 GeV0.7 GeVKLOECrab-waist collisions (2007)INSPIRE
CESR-cCornell University2002–2008Circular, 768m6 GeV 6 GeV CHESS, CLEO-cINSPIRE
VEPP-2000BINP, Novosibirsk2006–Circular, 24.4m1.0 GeV1.0 GeVSND, CMD-3Round beams (2007)
BEPC IIBeijing, China2008–Circular, 240m1.89 GeV1.89 GeVBeijing Spectrometer III
VEPP-5BINP, Novosibirsk2015–
ADONELNF, Frascati, Italy1969–1993Circular, 105m1.5 GeV1.5 GeV
TRISTANKEK1987–1995Circular, 3016m30 GeV30 GeV
SuperKEKBKEK2016–Circular, 3 km7.0 GeV4.0 GeVBelle II

Hadron colliders

AcceleratorLocationYears of
operation		Shape
and size		Particles
collided		Beam
energy		ExperimentsINSPIRE
Intersecting
Storage Rings		CERN1971–1984Circular rings
(948 m around)		Proton/
Proton		31.5 GeVINSPIRE
Super
Proton Synchrotron/SpS		CERN1981–1984Circular ring
(6.9 km around)		Proton/
Antiproton		270–315 GeVUA1, UA2INSPIRE
Tevatron
Run I		Fermilab1992–1995Circular ring
(6.3 km around)		Proton/
Antiproton		900 GeVCDF, D0INSPIRE
Tevatron
Run II		Fermilab2001–2011Circular ring
(6.3 km around)		Proton/
Antiproton		980 GeVCDF, D0INSPIRE
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)
polarized proton mode		Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York2001–presentHexagonal rings
(3.8 km circumference)		Polarized Proton/
Proton		100–255 GeVPHENIX, STARINSPIRE
Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC)
ion mode		Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York2000–presentHexagonal rings
(3.8 km circumference)		d-79+;
29+–29+;
29+–79+;
79+–79+;
92+–92+		3.85–100 GeV
per nucleon		STAR, PHENIX, BRAHMS, PHOBOSINSPIRE
Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
proton mode		CERN2008–presentCircular rings
(27 km circumference)		Proton/
Proton		6.8 TeV
(design: 7 TeV)		ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCb, LHCf, TOTEMINSPIRE
Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
ion mode		CERN2010–presentCircular rings
(27 km circumference)		82+–82+;
Proton-82+		2.76 TeV
per nucleon		ALICE, ATLAS, CMS, LHCbINSPIRE

Electron-proton colliders

Light sources

See main article: List of synchrotron radiation facilities.

Hypothetical accelerators

Besides the real accelerators listed above, there are hypothetical accelerators often usedas hypothetical examples or optimistic projects by particle physicists.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Building the cyclotron . August 22, 2018 .
  2. https://www.gpmetropole-infos.fr/a-saclay-on-a-lance-saturne/
  3. Web site: Cambridge Electron Accelerator (Cambridge, Mass.) Records of the Cambridge Electron Accelerator : an inventory . https://web.archive.org/web/20100709000318/http://oasis.lib.harvard.edu/oasis/deliver/~hua11001 . dead . July 9, 2010 . November 15, 2006 . Harvard University Library . January 2, 2012 .
  4. Web site: An MIT-Harvard Project: The Electron Accelerator. Rothenberg, Peter J. . October 16, 1958 . The Harvard Crimson . January 2, 2012 .
  5. 1092923. 10.1016/J.NIMB.2005.07.027. Status of the low energy neutron source at Indiana University. 2005. Baxter. D.V.. Cameron. J.M.. Derenchuk. V.P.. Lavelle. C.M.. Leuschner. M.B.. Lone. M.A.. Meyer. H.O.. Rinckel. T.. Snow. W.M.. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 241. 1–4. 209–212. 2005NIMPB.241..209B.
  6. Web site: CLASSE: Energy Recovery Linac.
  7. 1704.04469 . Bursa . Francis . The Undulator Radiation Collider: An Energy Efficient Design for a

    \sqrt{s}=15~GeV

    Collider . 2017 . physics.acc-ph .
  8. 1503.01509 . Lacki . Brian C. . SETI at Planck Energy: When Particle Physicists Become Cosmic Engineers . 2015 . astro-ph.HE .

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