Brookhaven National Laboratory scientists have designed and tested the world’s highest-voltage polarized electron gun, a critical component for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) – the world’s first fully polarized collider. This cutting-edge technology can accelerate electrons to 80% the speed of light, paving the way for groundbreaking research into the fundamental building blocks of matter. With its unparalleled capabilities, this electron gun is poised to unlock new frontiers in nuclear physics. Electrons and protons will collide at the EIC, allowing scientists to explore the mysterious origins of spin and unravel the secrets of the strongest force in nature.
Pushing the Boundaries of Particle Acceleration
The world’s highest-voltage polarized electron gun, developed by scientists at Brookhaven National Laboratory, is a groundbreaking achievement in the field of particle physics. This cutting-edge technology can accelerate electrons from zero to a staggering 80% the speed of light in just two inches and two-ten billionths of a second.
This remarkable feat of engineering is a crucial piece of the puzzle for the Electron-Ion Collider (EIC), a state-of-the-art nuclear physics facility being built at Brookhaven in partnership with the Department of Energy’s Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility. The EIC will collide polarized electrons with polarized protons and ions, allowing scientists to investigate the fundamental building blocks of visible matter and unravel the mysteries of the strongest force in nature – the strong force.
Unraveling the Mysteries of Spin
The polarization, or alignment of the particles’ spins, is of paramount importance to the EIC’s research goals. The collider is being built, in part, to explore the origins of spin, an intrinsic particle property that is crucial to the structure and order of all visible matter. Spin is responsible for the magnetic properties that make technologies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) possible.
By colliding spin-polarized electrons with polarized protons, EIC scientists will be able to tease apart how the proton’s spin arises from the spins and motion of its internal building blocks, quarks and gluons. This groundbreaking research will help scientists gain a deeper understanding of quark-gluon interactions, which are governed by the strong force – the least understood of the fundamental forces of nature.
Pushing the Boundaries of Vacuum Technology
Developing the world’s highest-voltage polarized electron gun was no easy feat. The team faced numerous technical challenges, including the need for an extremely high-vacuum environment to protect the delicate photocathode material from damage.
To address this, the team placed the entire photocathode-anode-laser system within a vacuum environment even more stringent than the vacuum on the moon. They also developed innovative approaches to deliver high voltage to the gun while maintaining the necessary vacuum, including a specialized connector with a semiconductor coating and a custom-designed high-voltage cable. These advancements not only ensure the stability and performance of the electron gun but also pave the way for safer, more environmentally friendly particle accelerator technology.
