Category: Faq
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Why linear acceleration?
When particles change direction (as they must in a circular collider) they emit photons and lose energy. This effect, called synchrotron radiation, can be avoided by accelerating particles in a straight line. The challenge of linear acceleration is to achieve a very high acceleration gradient, because, unlike in circular machines, the particles pass through a
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What does CLIC stand for? Why is this accelerator “compact”?
CLIC stands for the Compact Linear Collider. Despite a main accelerator of 42 km in length, the accelerator is “compact” due to its high accelerating gradient of 100 MV/m. To achieve the same centre-of-mass energy with LHC acceleration (5 MV/m) would require a distance of 840 km! Or alternatively, 700 km of LEP2 acceleration (6