Periodic Reporting for period 3 - I.FAST (Innovation Fostering in Accelerator Science and Technology)
Reporting period: 2024-05-01 to 2025-10-31
The I.FAST project aimed to enhance innovation in accelerator-based research infrastructures (Ris) by developing technologies common to multiple platforms and by defining strategic roadmaps for future developments. Its technological R&D focused on the long-term sustainability of accelerator-based research, with the goal of delivering more performant and affordable technologies, reducing power consumption and environmental impact, with strong involvement of industry as co-innovation partner.
These objectives were achieved through the successful development and validation of innovative prototypes, covering key accelerator sub-systems such as new types of superconducting magnets, high-efficiency magnets and power sources, and accelerating modules with novel designs and fabrication procedures. These developments will influence future projects and constitute essential building blocks for the new generations of particle accelerators, enhancing both performance and sustainability. I.FAST promoted as well accelerator technologies at lower development levels, fostered new emerging ideas and technologies, and delivered a set of strategy papers to guide the evolution of key accelerator technologies.
Its most significant long-term impact, however, lies in the establishment of a durable European innovation ecosystem around accelerator-based RIs fostering industrial engagement and sustained evolution of accelerator technologies in Europe
These objectives were achieved through the successful development and validation of innovative prototypes, covering key accelerator sub-systems such as new types of superconducting magnets, high-efficiency magnets and power sources, and accelerating modules with novel designs and fabrication procedures. These developments will influence future projects and constitute essential building blocks for the new generations of particle accelerators, enhancing both performance and sustainability. I.FAST promoted as well accelerator technologies at lower development levels, fostered new emerging ideas and technologies, and delivered a set of strategy papers to guide the evolution of key accelerator technologies.
Its most significant long-term impact, however, lies in the establishment of a durable European innovation ecosystem around accelerator-based RIs fostering industrial engagement and sustained evolution of accelerator technologies in Europe
Outreach, communication and training: The project disseminated its objectives and results via its web site and the “Accelerating News” newsletter. It engaged, trained and motivated younger generations through four hackathon-style events that engaged a total of 96 students in the development of accelerator-based societal applications, and five industry-academia exchanges targeted at early career researchers.
Engaging industry: The project established an open-innovation environment with industry, based on transparent communication, mutual trust, and engagement in joint activities. The Accelerator-Industry Permanent Forum was created as a lasting structure that will continue beyond the lifetime of the project. One of the main instruments for co-innovation with industry, the I.FAST Innovation Fund, supported eight successful academia-industry collaborative R&D projects addressing improved sustainability in accelerator technologies.
Identifying and promoting new concepts and technologies for future accelerators:
I.FAST explored ideas with strong potential for next-generation particle accelerators. This included advancing the study of a muon collider for particle physics, an option competitive in footprint and cost with conventional colliders, plasma acceleration of pions and muons, intense positron sources, crystalline beams, and ring designs for electric dipole moment and dark-sector explorations. The project played a coordination role in European developments of novel laser and plasma accelerators, and in initiatives aimed at novel technologies for ultra-low emittance rings. Exploratory activities further addressed the use of artificial intelligence in accelerator operation, quantum technologies, and miniature “nano-accelerators”. Special emphasis was placed on developing and promoting new applications of additive manufacturing technologies for accelerators.
Production in collaboration with industry of 14 prototypes, with significant impact on accelerator performance and sustainability:
- Two technology demonstrators of compact superconducting magnets for low- and medium-energy synchrotrons, extending the use of superconductivity with benefits in performance, cost, and power consumption
- Two demonstrators of superconducting accelerating cavities based on novel thin-film coating techniques, including complex multi-layer coating
- Two permanent-magnet prototypes, of a longitudinally variable dipole and of a tunable quadrupole, to improve performance and reduce operating costs of synchrotron light sources
- Two high-gradient electron injectors based on different advanced technologies, simplifying injection systems and improving performance of light sources and electron colliders
- Two prototypes of high-gradient high-frequency acceleration units, enabling more compact and cost-effective linear accelerators for free-electron lasers and colliders.
- A prototype high-efficiency power source for accelerators, to be used for the LHC upgrade at CERN, and a prototype circuit of next-generation power source
- A prototype additive-manufactured linear accelerator, with reduced fabrication costs and improved performance for scientific and medical-industrial applications
- A prototype of internal ion source for medical accelerators
Advancement of critical technologies: identification of new materials for beam power management in accelerators; development of electronics and methodologies to improve beam stability in scientific and medical synchrotrons; development of key components for acceleration with lasers and plasmas.
Sustainability and technology infrastructure optimization: definition of criteria and strategies to assess accelerators’ environmental impact for the entire lifecycle of a facility, and methodologies to reduce it; definition of strategies for improved access and shared use of accelerator and magnet technology infrastructure.
Explore new applications: development of a strategy for implementing societal applications of accelerators, with a focus on new environmental uses such as treatment of sludge and biohazard waste
Engaging industry: The project established an open-innovation environment with industry, based on transparent communication, mutual trust, and engagement in joint activities. The Accelerator-Industry Permanent Forum was created as a lasting structure that will continue beyond the lifetime of the project. One of the main instruments for co-innovation with industry, the I.FAST Innovation Fund, supported eight successful academia-industry collaborative R&D projects addressing improved sustainability in accelerator technologies.
Identifying and promoting new concepts and technologies for future accelerators:
I.FAST explored ideas with strong potential for next-generation particle accelerators. This included advancing the study of a muon collider for particle physics, an option competitive in footprint and cost with conventional colliders, plasma acceleration of pions and muons, intense positron sources, crystalline beams, and ring designs for electric dipole moment and dark-sector explorations. The project played a coordination role in European developments of novel laser and plasma accelerators, and in initiatives aimed at novel technologies for ultra-low emittance rings. Exploratory activities further addressed the use of artificial intelligence in accelerator operation, quantum technologies, and miniature “nano-accelerators”. Special emphasis was placed on developing and promoting new applications of additive manufacturing technologies for accelerators.
Production in collaboration with industry of 14 prototypes, with significant impact on accelerator performance and sustainability:
- Two technology demonstrators of compact superconducting magnets for low- and medium-energy synchrotrons, extending the use of superconductivity with benefits in performance, cost, and power consumption
- Two demonstrators of superconducting accelerating cavities based on novel thin-film coating techniques, including complex multi-layer coating
- Two permanent-magnet prototypes, of a longitudinally variable dipole and of a tunable quadrupole, to improve performance and reduce operating costs of synchrotron light sources
- Two high-gradient electron injectors based on different advanced technologies, simplifying injection systems and improving performance of light sources and electron colliders
- Two prototypes of high-gradient high-frequency acceleration units, enabling more compact and cost-effective linear accelerators for free-electron lasers and colliders.
- A prototype high-efficiency power source for accelerators, to be used for the LHC upgrade at CERN, and a prototype circuit of next-generation power source
- A prototype additive-manufactured linear accelerator, with reduced fabrication costs and improved performance for scientific and medical-industrial applications
- A prototype of internal ion source for medical accelerators
Advancement of critical technologies: identification of new materials for beam power management in accelerators; development of electronics and methodologies to improve beam stability in scientific and medical synchrotrons; development of key components for acceleration with lasers and plasmas.
Sustainability and technology infrastructure optimization: definition of criteria and strategies to assess accelerators’ environmental impact for the entire lifecycle of a facility, and methodologies to reduce it; definition of strategies for improved access and shared use of accelerator and magnet technology infrastructure.
Explore new applications: development of a strategy for implementing societal applications of accelerators, with a focus on new environmental uses such as treatment of sludge and biohazard waste
I.FAST advanced the Technology Readiness Level of a broad range of accelerator technologies to a stage at which higher level prototyping can be planned and supported, or, in some cases, directly implemented in test stands or operational accelerators. Key achievements include extending the use of superconductivity to low-energy synchrotrons magnets to reduce size and power consumption; developing advanced techniques for applying superconducting coatings to accelerator cavities to achieve high gradients with reduced power requirements; producing new high-performance, energy-efficient components for light sources; and developing compact linear accelerators entirely fabricated using additive manufacturing, with significant potential for cost reduction and performance gains in scientific and medical applications.
In addition, the project delivered a set of technology development roadmaps that will guide accelerator R&D over the coming decade. They address key areas such as high-temperature superconductors for magnet applications, ultra-low emittance ring technologies, thin-film superconducting coatings, lasers for plasma acceleration, and laser and plasma-based accelerators. Broader roadmap papers were produced on sustainable accelerators, novel societal applications, and strengthening the European technology infrastructure.
These technical results will have a durable impact on the next generation of particle accelerators, making them more sustainable and performant, and enhancing their deployment in medicine, industry, and environmental protection.
Beyond its technical results, I.FAST established a collaborative European innovation ecosystem bringing together academia and industry around accelerator-based RIs. This ecosystem will play a central role in the continued advancement of accelerator technologies over the next decade, enabling extended collaboration in future international projects
In addition, the project delivered a set of technology development roadmaps that will guide accelerator R&D over the coming decade. They address key areas such as high-temperature superconductors for magnet applications, ultra-low emittance ring technologies, thin-film superconducting coatings, lasers for plasma acceleration, and laser and plasma-based accelerators. Broader roadmap papers were produced on sustainable accelerators, novel societal applications, and strengthening the European technology infrastructure.
These technical results will have a durable impact on the next generation of particle accelerators, making them more sustainable and performant, and enhancing their deployment in medicine, industry, and environmental protection.
Beyond its technical results, I.FAST established a collaborative European innovation ecosystem bringing together academia and industry around accelerator-based RIs. This ecosystem will play a central role in the continued advancement of accelerator technologies over the next decade, enabling extended collaboration in future international projects