Physics

Particle Accelerators

A particle accelerator is a mechanism that accelerates elementary particles to extremely high energies, such as electrons or protons. Particle accelerators, at its most basic level, produce charged particle beams that can be employed for a variety of scientific applications. Particle accelerators are divided into two categories: linear accelerators and circular accelerators. Particles are propelled along a linear, or straight, beam line using linear accelerators. Particles are propelled along a circular track using circular accelerators. Fixed-target studies require linear accelerators, whereas colliding beam and fixed-target experiments require circular accelerators.

• Electrodynamic particle accelerators
• Magnetic induction accelerators
• Linear accelerators
• Circular or cyclic RF accelerators
• Betatrons