Controlled Muon Beam Breakthrough Paves Way for Compact Colliders

Physicists have achieved a breakthrough by controlling muons, heavier particles similar to electrons. This is a major milestone toward building compact muon colliders. Researchers at a Japanese lab used a unique laser technique to stabilize the muons, a challenge given their fleeting lifespan of 2 microseconds. Their efforts resulted in a tightly focused beam, potentially making particle accelerators smaller and more affordable.

Muons, short-lived fundamental particles, are around 200 times heavier than electrons. Unlike protons, they don’t break into smaller parts, allowing all their energy to be transferred in collisions. This makes muons ideal for achieving high energies in smaller spaces, which could shrink particle colliders to about 10 kilometers while matching the output of larger, more costly machines.

Creating a stable muon beam has been a challenge for scientists. Muons often move in random directions at various speeds, making them hard to control. However, this experiment overcame the issue by cooling them down, a feat achieved by passing them through silica aerogel, a material often used for insulation. After cooling, they accelerated the particles to 4% of light speed using an electric field.

The method shows potential for developing high-energy muon colliders and conducting experiments in physics that could reveal new scientific frontiers. Although scaling up this technology remains a significant challenge, researchers aim to push the boundaries by reaching 94% of light speed by 2028. This could bring about substantial advances, including tests that probe particle magnetism and explore areas beyond the standard model of physics.

Overall, this innovation marks a turning point in particle physics, signaling possibilities for more accessible, smaller, and economical colliders in the near future.