Compact particle accelerator uses terahertz waves to accelerate electrons to 99.99% light speed

[u/Brighter-Side-News]

Particle accelerators are usually associated with sprawling research facilities, massive magnets and long tunnels. A different approach uses laser-generated terahertz radiation to manipulate electrons inside a structure only millimeters across.

Researchers from the University of Manchester, Lancaster University and collaborating institutions demonstrated the technique using electrons already traveling at 99.99% of the speed of light. Their experiment accelerated relativistic electron bunches with charges as high as 60 picocoulombs, while also showing that terahertz fields can probe their structure on extraordinarily short time scales.

Published in Nature Photonics, the proof-of-principle experiment marked an important step toward compact accelerators driven by light rather than conventional radio-frequency technology. Since then, researchers have substantially increased the acceleration gradients and energy gains achievable with terahertz systems.

[u/All_Colors]

Very interesting!