New Micro Particle Accelerator Chip

Scientists at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) have introduced a new technological milestone for a prototype nanoscale particle accelerator. The new gadget gives promise for cancer treatments and will provide more scientific access to the functions of traditional particle accelerators, which are two-mile-long devices. A team of researchers believes that the technology offered by these large machines can be scaled down in size for accessible use in labs. However, the micro single chip is much less powerful than the larger Linac machines they mimic. In theory, they can still accelerate electrons up to 94% of the speed of light in order to create a particle flow strong enough for medical use and research. The miniature creation is still years away from use in radiotherapy. The seemingly simple concept of scaling down the design of large Linac systems is easier said than done, but it shows promise for the future and gives evidence of what potential these microchips have. To read more on this new finding click here