nuclear and particle physics facilities

Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests

A Unique FacilityFACET uses part of the two-mile-long linear accelerator at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory to generate high-density beams of electrons and their antimatter counterparts, positrons. With a focused intensity of 1021 Watts/cm2 (that’s the equivalent of all the power of the sun spread across 10 square meters) these beams create large electric and magnetic fields in a very short time – ideal for creating exotic states of matter and researching advanced accelerator technologies.

World-Leading ResearchFACET is open to researchers from all over the world, who submit proposals for experiments at the facility. These proposals are reviewed and approved by an independent panel of experts. The first round of user experiments will start in spring 2012.

Plasma Wakefield Acceleration Electrons can “surf ” on waves of plasma – a hot gas of charged particles – gaining very high energies in very short distances. This approach, called plasma wakefield acceleration, has the potential to dramatically shrink the size and cost of particle accelerators. Research at SLAC has demonstrated that a plasma can accelerate electrons to 1,000 times greater energies over a given distance than current technologies can manage. FACET continues this world-leading research.

Materials StudiesThe research at FACET extends beyond advanced acceleration technologies. Scientists are already using it to explore the fastest and most efficient way to switch magnetization in magnetic data storage media, unearthing new phenomena. FACET also produces terahertz or “sub-millimeter” electromagnetic radiation, which has many applications in material science, semiconductor research, chemical imaging and more.

Dielectric Wakefield Acceleration Materials like silica and diamond can also be used to accelerate subatomic particles 10 to 100 times better than today’s accelerator technologies. When two well-spaced bunches of particles pass through the structure, the first loses energy and the second gains it due to the interaction with the dielectric material. FACET is the only facility that provides the high peak fields needed to test the highest possible acceleration with this technology.

Diagnostic DevicesIn running any accelerator it ’s important to know exactly what is going on inside so you can correctly interpret the results of your experiment or project. FACET’s unique qualities allow it to develop equally unique diagnostics. Non-invasive and inexpensive techniques for bunch profile measurement of ultra-short bunches have already been demonstrated at FACET.

FACET, the Facility for Advanced Accelerator Experimental Tests, is a user facility that carries out research to improve the power and efficiency of particle accelerators used in basic research, medicine, industry and other areas important to society.

More than 35,000 Accelerators Built World-wide for Industry and Medicine1

FACET studies technologies that will allow accelerators to attain higher energies in shorter distances.

Technology Accelerating Gradient

SLAC S-band Copper RF Cavities 20 Million Volts Per Meter

Superconducting RF Cavities 35 Million Volts Per Meter

SLAC X-band Copper RF Cavities 100 Million Volts Per Meter

Dielectric Wakefield Accelerators >1 Billion Volts Per Meter

Plasma Wakefield Accelerators >10 Billion Volts Per Meter

1 ”Industrial Accelerators and their Applications,” Robert W. Hamm & Marianne E. Hamm, World Scientific Publishing (2012)

Scientific Accomplishments

An Overview

Electron Beam Irradiation

Non-destructive Inspection

Neutron Generators

Radioisotope Production

Ion Beam Analysis

High Energy Accelerators (E>1 GeV)

Synchrotron Radiation

Medical Therapy

Accelerators

E-beam Material

Processing

Ion Implantation

Societal Impact

FACET

Office ofScience