Advanced Accelerators

The particle accelerator is the culmination of science and technology developed thus far. Scientific achievements obtained by using accelerators, and by using the technologies emerging from the R&D required to produce accelerators, have found many applications in industry. The advanced accelerators at KEK may possibly determine the next step forward for mankind.

Advanced Accelerator Development

The Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) hosts an advanced linac and dumping ring to produce a high-quality electron beam. At ATF, researchers from around the world research and develop advanced beam monitors and beam control devices. At the final focusing beamline of the ATF, research and development of nanometer-scale beam technology is underway.

The Superconducting linac Test Facility (STF) is equipped with a variety of important tools. These include cavity surface processing devices, cryogenics, a high-power microwave generator, a cryostat, and a test electron beam injector. These tools allow for the comprehensive test and development of superconducting cavity systems. Scientists at KEK specifically aim to develop competing technologies for the next-generation collider (the International Linear Collider, or ILC) and for the next-generation light source (Energy Recovery Linac, or ERL).

Advanced Detector Technology Development

High-performance detectors are a key to cutting-edge nuclear and particle physics research, as detector capability often determines the success of a project. Thus, KEK places great importance on detector technology developments.

These detector and sensor technologies are applicable beyond the realm of nuclear and particle physics. Applications include materials science and observational astrophysics, non-destructive analysis for use on construction sites and in security checks, and nuclear scanning techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET). The Detector Technology Project (DTP) at KEK also develops new applications for detector technologies.

The DTP also develops application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and data acquisition systems (DAQ) that make use of fast, advanced networking technologies to take full advantage of new detector technologies.