2022 Plasma surfer at DESY

As one of world's leading accelerator research centre, DESY always sets the course on the development, construction, and operation of particle accelerators.

That's how researchers are developing a new generation of particle accelerators with plasma technology and innovative lasers: compact and space-saving accelerators. The basic principle is to fire short, strong laser flashes or electron pulses in a gas and thus generate a plasma.

Within the plasma, wakes develop, like those beside a ship. It is on these waves that packets of electrons ride like surfers and are accelerated to high energies in short distances.

These technologies will enable the construction of research facilities that are up to a thousand times smaller than those today.