China has inaugurated a new particle accelerator facility that produces the world’s most intense beams of charged ions, offering researchers a powerful tool to explore nuclear physics and develop applications in medicine and materials science. Scientific operations commenced this week at the High Intensity Heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF), located in Huizhou, Guangdong province, following the completion of construction, according to state media reports.
The 2.6 billion yuan (approximately HK$3 billion) project was developed over 16 years by scientists at the Institute of Modern Physics in Lanzhou, Gansu province, in collaboration with other research institutions. HIAF surpasses the prior world record for beam intensity—previously held by a German accelerator in Darmstadt—by delivering pulses containing up to eight times as many ions.
Unlike many similar international facilities, such as the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams in the United States, HIAF integrates multiple components into a single complex: a 100-meter-long linear accelerator, a 570-meter-circumference circular accelerator, and storage rings. This configuration enables the acceleration of atomic nuclei to higher energies and maintains them in continuous circulation for repeated experiments.
Yang Jichang, chief engineer of the project at the Institute of Modern Physics, said the facility is expected to address major questions in nuclear physics, including the limits of the periodic table and the origins of heavy elements like gold and uranium. “These fast-moving ions act like microscopic bullets,” Yang explained, “by smashing them into target nuclei or each other, scientists can replicate the extreme conditions found inside stars or during supernovae.”
The accelerator works by stripping electrons from atoms to create positively charged ions, which are then propelled at high speeds by electric and magnetic fields into focused beams. Research at HIAF aims to determine how large and unstable atomic nuclei can grow before disintegrating, shedding light on fundamental nuclear structure.
Beyond basic science, the facility is designed to support applied research with potential benefits for space exploration—where radiation testing of spacecraft materials is critical—cancer therapy development, and the production of medical isotopes. Early experiments conducted since the first particle beam was produced in October 2023 have included precise nuclear mass measurements, the generation of radioactive nuclei, and studies of highly charged ions.
The project was initially proposed in 2010, receiving national priority status the following year from China’s National Development and Reform Commission. Researchers overcame substantial technical challenges, including accelerating ions more rapidly and creating one of the world’s largest ultra-high-vacuum environments to prevent collisions with stray gas molecules.
HIAF is expected to operate as an open scientific platform accessible to researchers worldwide, furthering international collaboration in nuclear physics and related fields.