World's 1st stand-alone LEAF passes expert panel acceptance inspection in China

This stitched photo taken on Dec. 10, 2024 shows part of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF). (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

The world's first stand-alone low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF), developed by the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, recently passed the expert panel acceptance inspection organized by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

The LEAF can provide intense heavy-ion beams and mixed ion beams of various charge states from light to heavy elements, offering advantages such as high beam intensity, high charge state, diverse ion species, and a wide range of energy variations.

With the upgrading of ion accelerators and the evolution of accelerator technologies, frontier research in ion beam physics has continuously deepened human understanding of the world, and related application technologies have been widely adopted in various fields.

Zhao Hongwei, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), poses for a photo in front of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF) on Dec. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This photo taken on Dec. 10, 2024 shows part of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF). (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

This stitched photo taken on Dec. 10, 2024 shows part of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF). (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Sun Liangting, a researcher with the Institute of Modern Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, checks equipment on Dec. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Zhao Hongwei (R), an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), and Sun Liangting, a researcher with the Institute of Modern Physics of the CAS, discuss on experiment progress in front of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF) on Dec. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researchers analyze experimental data at the control room of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF) on Dec. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)

Researchers observe experiment progress at the control room of the low-energy high-intensity heavy-ion accelerator facility (LEAF) on Dec. 10, 2024. (Xinhua/Jin Liwang)