Next-generation magnets power Large Hadron Collider upgrade

The new high-luminosity LHC magnets generate magnetic fields of 11.3 teslas.

Published: December 13, 2024

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The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is in the midst of a significant transformation, marked by the installation of new superconducting magnets that will increase the power and precision of particle beams.

These quadrupole magnets are essential for the upgrade known as HL-LHC (High Luminosity LHC), which will improve the luminosity of the accelerator, resulting in a greater number of particle collisions and, therefore, a greater capacity to explore the mysteries of subatomic physics.

Image of the Large Hadron Collider magnet — Magnets will improve the accelerator’s luminosity. Source: CERN

Modernization of the Large Hadron Collider is moving forward

At CERN , the IT Chain (Inner Triplet) , a unique testing facility, has been at the heart of these innovations. The testing of superconducting quadrupole magnets, made from niobium-tin, represents a crucial breakthrough. These magnets are capable of generating magnetic fields of up to 11.3 teslas , a significant improvement over current niobium-titanium magnets, which generate a field of 8.6 teslas.

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The installation of these magnets is essential for the compression of particle beams, increasing luminosity and facilitating more detailed experiments in the ATLAS and CMS detectors.
explains Marta Bajko, head of the IT String project at CERN.

Challenges in manufacturing and installing magnets

The manufacture of these magnets has required years of research and development. The integration of cryogenic cooling and protection systems, which allow the magnets to be cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero, is another of the innovations that are part of this update.

Correction magnets, developed in collaboration with CIEMAT and CDTI in Spain, are also part of the system and aim to adjust the trajectory of the beams with unprecedented precision.

As 2025 approaches, the HL-LHC project continues to move forward with the arrival of more state-of-the-art magnets made in the United States. In 2026, all systems will be tested under real-life conditions inside the accelerator tunnel, marking a crucial milestone for the future of particle physics. The video below shows the installation of one of the magnets.