Context:
Researchers have successfully activated the world’s smallest particle accelerator, called a nanophotonic electron accelerator (NEA).
About particle accelerators:
- Particle accelerators produce and accelerate beams of charged particles, such as electrons, protons and ions, of atomic and sub-atomic size (sometimes even close to the speed of light).
- Can be linear (straight) or circular in shape
- Can have many different sizes
- The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is the most powerful accelerator in the world – consists of a 27-kilometre ring of superconducting magnets (located in CERN, Geneva)
- Smallest particle accelerator – nanophotonic electron accelerator (NEA) – approximately 0.02 inches long, which is 54 million times shorter than LHC.
Uses of particle accelerators:
- According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), more than 30,000 accelerators are in use around the world. Of these, more than 97% are used for commercial purposes.
- Fundamental research – Some of the largest accelerators are employed to induce collisions between sub-nuclear particles at nearly the speed of light, contributing to our understanding of the origins of the universe. These accelerators can be utilized to generate neutrons, which are typically made available for various applications in nuclear research reactors.
- Health –
- To sterilize medical equipment
- To produce radioisotopes required to synthesize radiopharmaceuticals for cancer diagnosis and therapy.
- To destroy cancer cells, reveal the structure of proteins and viruses, and optimize vaccines and new drugs.
- Environment
- Proton beams can be used to detect trace chemical elements in the air, water or soil – provide a unique signature of the air quality.
- Industry –
- To make the material more durable.
- Making plastics and ceramics
About Nanophotonic Electron Accelerator:
- Study conducted by researchers in Germany.
- Consists of a small microchip that houses a smaller vacuum tube.
- Main goal
- To utilise the energy given by the accelerated electrons in targeted medical treatments that can replace more damaging forms of radiotherapy, which is used to kill cancer cells.
- Future application – to place a particle accelerator on an endoscope in order to be able to administer radiotherapy directly at the affected area within the body.
Source: Times of India
Previous year question
Consider the following actions:
1. Detection of car crash/collision which results in the deployment of airbags almost instantaneously.
2. Detection of accidental free fall of a laptop towards the ground which results in the immediate turning off of the hard drive
3. Detection of the tit of smartphone which results in the rotation of display between portrait and landscape mode
In how many of the above action is the function of accelerometer required? [UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2016 Prelims]
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
