Accelerators for nuclear physics

Abstract

This article describes the principal charged particle accelerators being used today for research in nuclear physics in the energy range up to about 1000 MeV. The accelerators include Van de Graaffs, sector cyclotrons and linear accelerators for both positive ions and electrons. For each type of accelerator a brief treatment is given of the recent history, operating principles, some special techniques, a typical facility, and some examples of experimental data from that type of accelerator. Descriptions are also given of new types of machines under construction, such as Pelletrons, frequency modulated sector cyclotrons, separated sector cyclotrons, and superconducting linear accelerators. New ideas for the future are mentioned, including multi-stage tandem-cyclotrons, and the electron ring accelerator. The reader is assumed to have no experience in. accelerators or nuclear physics, and many references are given to more detailed treatments of the topics covered.