Can You Build a Particle Accelerator at Home?

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SUMMARY

Building a particle accelerator at home is feasible, particularly through the construction of a small cyclotron using basic components such as a vacuum pump, cylindrical vacuum flask, D-shaped electrodes, and simple electronics. While the energies achieved will be low, experiments can be conducted using nitrogen atoms as projectiles. Advanced tinkers may also explore the creation of antimatter, though this requires sophisticated equipment and regulatory compliance. Notable resources include the works of Ernest O. Lawrence and various online schematics for home-built accelerators.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics principles, particularly particle physics.
  • Familiarity with vacuum systems and their components.
  • Knowledge of electronic circuit design and assembly.
  • Awareness of safety regulations regarding the handling of potentially hazardous materials.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the historical development of the cyclotron, focusing on Ernest O. Lawrence's original designs.
  • Explore detailed schematics for building a cyclotron available at this website.
  • Investigate the principles of particle detection used in modern high-energy physics experiments.
  • Learn about the regulatory requirements for handling radioactive materials if pursuing antimatter experiments.
USEFUL FOR

Physics enthusiasts, amateur scientists, and advanced hobbyists interested in particle physics and home-built experimental apparatuses will benefit from this discussion.

  • #31
rajeshpamula said:
I have a question on energy levels in accelerator. I see LHC has energy level of 14 TeV, which is less than even 1 joule and 1 Joule of energy can be obtained at no cost. Then what makes the accelerator design so difficult?

This is not a matter of simply radiating a little heat: two particles are each accelerated so that each one is at 7 TeV. THAT takes a load of magnets, and a lot of electricity. The key here is: they are accelerated.
 
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  • #32
ATCG said:
I would be trying to create anti-matter
If the LHC were to try to generate 1 single gram of anti-matter it would cost them 400 quadrillion dollars to run and 100 billion years for the machine to run...Soz no anti-matter :/
 
  • #33
Did you happen to notice that the post you responded to is seven years old? :rolleyes:
 
  • #34
7-years old. Hahaha! I think I've done that myself on another thread.
Makes me curious if Fred finished his book.
 
  • #35
Does anyone know if Fred ever finished his book?

I am starting to work on building a linear particle accelerator and would love to read what he has to say:
 
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  • #36
Hello,

I am a second year student industrial engineer in nuclear technology and I am looking for some blueprints / building plans so I can make a 3D drawing of a particle accelerator. If someone can give me a blueprint that I can build myself I would be even more happy cause then I would make it my bachelor project in my third trimester.

I hope someone can help me!
 
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  • #37
Hello,

Just wondering what kind of pressures are required for experimentation with a linear accelerator similar to the one described here:

http://www.ifpan.edu.pl/firststep/aw-works/fsII/alt/altineller.pdf

I know they say it must be at 0.1 microns - would it still be posssible to experiment at pressures at about 10 microns? Vacuum pumps that go to those pressures are hard to find, and very expensive, particularly here in England.

Also, has anyone tried using a Tesla coil to power a linac, or would a Cockcroft-Walton multiplier be a better way to go? I can't find much on Tesla coil particle accelerators.
 
  • #38
There are many questions here about construction of an accelerator but my information is lacking in measurement methods. For instance, proton to target timing so that velocity can be calculated. High voltage measurement methods, possible sources for such equipment. My searches on the web don't take this aspect of construction into account. Oh, as I remember the article in Scientific American, Amateur Scientist, was for the construction of a Crookes tube and one way to test it was to expose a piece of photo paper to take a shadowgraph of the target plate.
 
  • #39
This thread is almost a decade old.
 

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