GeV Acceleration In 3 Centimeters

ZonkerWilliam writes, "Here is a very interesting article, for the scientific community at least, on an advancement in laser wakefield particle accelerators. Being able to accelerate electrons to 1 Gev in the space of 3.3 cm calls up visions of portable devices that can be used anywhere: think of portable cancer therapies, if they can do the same for positrons, portable PET scans, possible use in compact fusion devices, capturing the dearly departed, etc. The uses are mind boggling." From the article: "By comparison, SLAC, the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, boosts electrons to 50 GeV over a distance of two miles... The Berkeley Lab group and their Oxford collaborators... achieve a 50th of SLAC's beam energy in just one-100,000th of SLAC's length." I doubt that this tech will fit on a table top anytime soon. The article quotes the Berkeley researcher: "We believe we can [get to 10 GB] with an accelerator less than a meter long — although we'll probably need 30 meters' worth of laser path."

Comments

Blasters

[tygt]

How many eV would it take to make Han Solo's blaster? :)

Re:Blasters

[Anonymous Coward]

Eh, get back to me when we have the batteries capable of making an energy weapon that'll do more than warm food. Of course, we could just use some of those recalled Sony batteries as grenades instead :-)

Re:Blasters

[CortoMaltese]

An extension cord! An extension cord! My kingdom for an extension cord!

PET Scan

[yamamushi]

If I want a PET scan , I'll go to the vet.

Re:PET Scan

[kfg]

I don't bother scanning for 'em, at this point if I so much as suspect I have a PET I just call in the exterminator. I've really gotta start bein' more careful about shutting my back door.

The racoons and possums I was able to deal with myself in fairly short order, but it took 18 years to get rid of that damned cat.

KFG

What is this "blaster" you speak of?

[ChePibe]

I believe Han Solo's only notable piece of equipment is a small bouquet of daisies, one of which he gives to Guido in the super-hyper-ultra-master-remix of Star Wars Episode -12.

Why on earth would Han want to "blast" anything, as is? He's a perfectly legitimate businessman, brought into hard times by a pair of misfits who attack people with Mag Lites... or at least that's the latest Lucas version.

At last!

[SysKoll]

At last, a portable zap gun! About freakin" time!

Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters!

[BKX]

capturing the dearly departed, etc.

Holy Jesus, we can capture ghosts now with our 1 inch laser PET scans!!!

Capturing the Dearly Departed

[A Brand of Fire]

When using a portable particle accelerator, always remember this important safety tip:

Egon: There's something very important I forgot to tell you.

Venkman: What?

Egon: Don't cross the streams.

Venkman: Why?

Egon: It would be bad.

Venkman: I'm fuzzy on the whole good/bad thing; what do you mean, bad?

Egon: Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light.

Ray: Total protonic reversal.

Venkman: Right. That's bad? Okay. All right. Important safety tip. Thanks, Egon.

Re:Capturing the Dearly Departed

[budgenator]

Your not supposed to admit your old enough to have seen a Pre-alien movie with Weaver in it, in public.

Re:Power (Have They Got It)

[kbox]

Yeah, I have lost count of how many times i have heard those starving Africans saying "Man, I wish i could accelerate electrons to 1 Gev over 3cm".

Re:Portable????

[emlyncorrin]

Now excuse me, I have a negotiation with Coka Cola about burning their logo on the moon.

Make sure you spell check their name before starting...