Tabletop Particle Accelerator Could Democratize Access to Powerful X-Rays
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A revolutionary new approach to particle acceleration promises to shrink the size – and cost – of X-ray generation, potentially bringing this powerful technology to hospitals, universities, and industrial labs worldwide. Researchers have demonstrated, through advanced simulations, that a device capable of producing intense X-rays could be condensed into a machine small enough to fit on a table.
Currently, generating intense X-rays relies on massive facilities known as synchrotron light sources. These are indispensable tools for studying materials, drug molecules, and biological tissues, but even the smallest synchrotrons occupy an area comparable to a football stadium. The new research, accepted for publication in the journal Physical Review Letters, outlines a method for generating comparable X-rays using carbon nanotubes and laser light on a microchip.
“This has the potential to transform medicine, materials science, and other disciplines,” one researcher stated.
The core of the innovation lies in a novel interaction between a circularly polarized laser and electrons. The laser light is shaped to create a swirling field,similar to a corkscrew.
This swirling field effectively traps and accelerates electrons within the tube, forcing them into a spiral motion. As these electrons move in unison, they emit radiation coherently, amplifying the lightS intensity by up to two orders of magnitude. The team has effectively created a microscopic synchrotron, replicating the physics of mile-scale facilities on a nanoscopic stage.
The Role of Carbon Nanotubes
To realize this concept, the researchers turned to carbon nanotubes – cylindrical structures composed of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal pattern.These nanotubes possess exceptional strength, capable of withstanding electric fields hundreds of times stronger than those in conventional accelerators. They can also be “grown” vertically into closely aligned “forests” of hollow tubes.
This unique architecture provides an ideal habitat for the corkscrewing laser light to interact with the electrons. The circularly polarized laser’s structure aligns perfectly with the nanotube’s internal structure – a “quantum lock-and-key mechanism,” as described by the researchers. 3D simulations revealed that this interaction can generate electric fields of several teravolts (one trillion volts) per meter, far exceeding the capabilities of current accelerator technologies.
Democratizing Access to Cutting-Edge Technology
The implications of this research are far-reaching. Currently, scientists frequently enough face lengthy waits – months for a few hours of beam time – to access large, national synchrotron facilities or free-electron lasers. The tabletop accelerator approach could dramatically expand access to this crucial technology.
“That kind of performance could change who gets access to cutting-edge X-ray sources,” a senior official stated.
The potential applications span multiple fields. In medicine,the technology could lead to clearer mammograms and novel imaging techniques capable of revealing soft tissues in unprecedented detail,potentially eliminating the need for contrast agents. In drug development, researchers could analyze protein structures in-house, accelerating the design of new therapies. And in materials science and semiconductor engineering, it could enable non-destructive, high-speed testing of delicate components.
The research was initially presented at the 2025 NanoAc workshop on nanotechnology in accelerator physics, held in Liverpool earlier this month. While the research remains at the simulation stage,the necessary components – powerful circularly polarized lasers and precisely fabricated nanotube structures – are already standard tools in advanced research labs.
The next step is experimental verification. If successful, this would usher in a new generation of ultra-compact radiation sources. What excites researchers most is not simply the physics, but the potential to democratize access to world-class research tools, bringing frontier science into the hands of many more researchers.
As Carsten P Welsch, professor of Physics at the University of Liverpool, explains, the future of particle acceleration may involve both continued development of large-scale machines to push the boundaries of energy and intensity, alongside smaller, smarter, and more accessible accelerators.
