Fermilab features

As part of the international Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, a UK-US collaboration is preparing for industrial scale production of large particle detector components. This fall, it’s taking the first ones for a final test-drive.

Large, powerful magnets are a vital component of particle accelerators. The general rule is, the stronger the magnetic field, the better. For many particle accelerator applications, it is as important how fast a magnet can reach its peak strength and then ramp down again. A team at Fermilab now has achieved the world’s fastest ramping rates for accelerator magnets using high-temperature superconductors.

In accepting the invitation, the distinguished scientist and head of the lab’s Theory Division will join the ranks of notable inductees, such as Nobel laureates Bernardo Alberto Houssay, Luis Federico Leloir, César Milstein and former Fermilab Director Leon Lederman.

A little over a year into construction, the structure of the building that will house the cryogenic equipment for the PIP-II particle accelerator is largely complete.

Whether he is on the side of a mountain or working at the Fermilab Quantum Institute, Cristián Peña likes to explore the unknown and tackle new challenges. Although he spends most of his time working on quantum communication systems for FQI, Peña dedicates time to work on the CMS experiment. His work between the two experiments, while different in practice, are conceptually similar.

Accelerator experts at three national labs have advanced the next generation of cryomodules, the building blocks of particle accelerators. A prototype built for the high-energy upgrade of SLAC’s LCLS-II X-ray laser has advanced the state of the art, packing more acceleration into a smaller distance, and could dramatically improve future accelerators.

In early October, crews completed the raise-bore drilling of the vertical ventilation shaft at the Lead, South Dakota, LBNF/DUNE project site and unexpectedly uncovered a geological treasure during the process.

Olivier Napoly has worked internationally on a variety of accelerator and collider projects. At Fermilab, he works as a guest scientist, helping to build the PIP-II particle accelerator. As an accelerator physicist, Napoly focuses on every aspect of PIP-II’s construction from design to assembly.

Creating a hypersensitive dark matter detector in a clean lab more than a mile underground is no mean feat in and of itself. Add a closed border and COVID restrictions to the mix, and you have the scenario that Fermilab, SNOLAB and the SENSEI collaboration faced. Undeterred, they found a way to proceed with installation.

This summer, a team of scientists, engineers and technicians finished installing one of the main components that will create the strong electric field within the Short-Baseline Near Detector. Now they are getting ready to assemble the rest of the detector.