Channeling phenomenon

The behavior of particles in matter varies dramatically between amorphous materials and crystals. In crystals, atoms align in specific orientations along well-defined planes and axes. This ordered structure creates a continuous potential for incoming particles, replacing random, stochastic interactions with individual atoms.

Channeling in bent crystals

Strong static potential (≈GeV/cm) can trap (channel) positive particles between two adjacent atomic planes angle.

Channeled particles are forced to follow crystal curvature, with steering power ≈ 102T magnetic dipole 

GALORE PROJECT

Steering particle beams through planar channeling in bent crystals is particularly efficient for positive particles, achieving deflection for up to 80% of the channeled particles. However, the remaining 20% of particles that are not deflected can still be significant when designing applications involving bent crystals in particle accelerators.

The GALORE project ((hiGh-efficient beam deflector fOR accElerators) ) aims to address this limitation by developing a new type of bent crystal that could potentially eliminate these losses entirely. This objective can be achieved by machining a microscopic structure onto the crystal to influence the dynamics of channeled particles. The project focuses on creating a reliable fabrication procedure and will ultimately test the effectiveness of these new crystals with high-energy beams available at CERN. Success in this project would not only enhance current configurations but also pave the way for entirely new methods of crystal-assisted beam manipulation.