Stanford researchers have come one step closer to a new type of particle accelerator that could do the same as the LHC at just a fraction of the size.
"Researchers sent pairs of electron bunches containing 5 billion to 6 billion electrons each into a laser-generated column of plasma inside an oven of hot lithium gas. The first bunch in each pair blasted all the free electrons away from the lithium atoms, leaving the positively charged lithium nuclei behind—a configuration known as the "blowout regime." The blasted electrons then fell back in behind the second bunch of electrons, forming a "plasma wake" that propelled the trailing bunch to higher energy."
Moar: http://www.symmetrymagazine.org/article/november-2014/scientists-progress-toward-plasma-acceleration
Leave a Reply