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World's smallest particle accelerator is 54 million times smaller than the LHC | Space

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When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. The device is small enough to fit on a coin. Scientists recently fired up the world's smallest particle accelerator for the first time. The tiny technological triumph, which is around the size of a small coin, could open the door to a wide range of applications, including using the teensy particle accelerators inside human patients. The new machine, known as a nanophotonic electron accelerator (NEA), consists of a small microchip that houses an even smaller vacuum tube made up of thousands of individual "pillars." Researchers can accelerate electrons by firing mini laser beams at these pillars. The main acceleration tube is approximately 0.02 inches (0.5 millimeter) long, which is 54 million times shorter than the 16.8-mile-long (27 kilometers) ring that makes up CERN's Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Switzerland — the world's largest and most powerful particle accelerator, which has d

Click for next article The nanophotonic electron accelerator consists of a microchip that houses a tiny acceleration tube that is just millimeters long. This photo shows the device compared to a dime. (Image credit: FAU/Laser Physics, Stefanie Kraus, Julian Litzel) Share Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Scientists recently fired up the world's smallest particle accelerator for the first time. The tiny technological triumph, which is arou

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