The Cockcroft Institute

October 26, 2022

New energy saving magnet gets first test run

Testing has begun at Diamond Light Source for an energy-saving magnet, designed and built by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), including members of the Cockcroft Institute (CI), for our next generation of particle accelerator. Particle accelerators are responsible…

October 24, 2022

Supporting next generation radiotherapy for cancer treatment

The UK has driven important advances in cancer therapy and treats many patients successfully with radiotherapy, using both X-rays and protons. However, some tumours remain difficult to treat. Scientists believe that heavier particles, such as helium and carbon ions may…

October 5, 2022

Accelerator science meets archaeology

UKRI has awarded £225k to Project NoMAD: Non-destructive Mobile Analysis and imaging Device. The project, led by University of Liverpool’s accelerator physicist Dr Tessa Charles, draws on technology developed for particle accelerators to bring scientific analysis techniques to remote heritage…

September 28, 2022

First IoP Particle Accelerator and Beam Group conference held in Liverpool

The first Institute of Physics (IoP) Particle Accelerator and Beams Group (PABG) annual conference was held at the University of Liverpool on 25th and 26th July. The PABG had previously held an annual one day meeting but this was the…

September 26, 2022

CI supports high efficiency Klystron demonstrator at CERN and Canon ETD

Cockcroft staff at Lancaster University have been involved in the development of a high efficiency klystron demonstrator at Canon Electron Tubes and Devices (ETD) and CERN. Klystrons provide the high power RF used to power the acceleration of charged particles…

September 21, 2022

Plasma accelerator research and training boosted by EU funding

The EuPRAXIA Doctoral Network (EuPRAXIA-DN) is a new Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Network (MSCA-DN) offering 12 high-level fellowships between universities, research centres and industry that will carry out an interdisciplinary and cross-sector plasma accelerator research and training program. The network…

September 20, 2022

FEL Prize 2022

Dr Brian McNeil from the University of Strathclyde / Cockcroft Institute has been awarded the FEL Prize 2022 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Free Electron Laser science and technology. Dr Brian McNeil receiving the FEL Prize 2022. (Copyright…

September 7, 2022

31st International Linear Accelerator Conference LINAC2022 delivered in Liverpool

LINAC2022, the first LINAC conference being held in-person since Beijing in 2018 was hosted by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Cockcroft Institute (CI) and the John Adams Institute (JAI) at the Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) in…

August 19, 2022

£3.2m in Funding for UK XFEL Research and Development

£3.2m in UKRI Infrastructure funding has been announced for a Conceptual Design and Options analysis for a UK XFEL (X-ray Free Electron Laser). This Conceptual Design Report will explore different options to provide access to a 2nd generation XFEL capability for…