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The Electron-Ion Collider

A machine that will unlock the secrets of the strongest force in Nature

ion collision

The computers and smartphones we use every day depend on what we learned about the atom in the last century. All information technology—and much of our economy today—relies on understanding the electromagnetic force between the atomic nucleus and the electrons that orbit it. The science of that force is well understood but we still know little about the microcosm within the protons and neutrons that make up the atomic nucleus. That’s why Brookhaven Lab is building a new machine—an Electron-Ion Collider, or EIC—to look inside the nucleus and its protons and neutrons.

The EIC will be a particle accelerator that collides electrons with protons and nuclei to produce snapshots of those particles’ internal structure—like a CT scanner for atoms. The electron beam will reveal the arrangement of the quarks and gluons that make up the protons and neutrons of nuclei. The force that holds quarks together, carried by the gluons, is the strongest force in Nature. The EIC will allow us to study this “strong nuclear force” and the role of gluons in the matter within and all around us. What we learn from the EIC could power the technologies of tomorrow.

ion collision

Overview

The Electron-Ion Collider will be a discovery machine for unlocking the secrets of the "glue" that binds the building blocks of visible matter in the universe.

The Machine

The Electron-Ion Collider will consist of two intersecting accelerators, one producing an intense beam of electrons, the other a beam of protons or heavier atomic nuclei which are steered into head-on collisions.

Benefits

Beyond sparking scientific discoveries in a new frontier of fundamental physics, the Electron-Ion Collider will trigger technological breakthroughs that have broad-ranging impact on human health and national challenges.

EIC Science

The unique and powerful tools of the Electron-Ion Collider will cast fresh light on the forces that bind protons and neutrons together to form nuclei.

Brookhaven National Lab's EIC Directorate coordinates with domestic and international partners to deliver the EIC construction project.

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Brookhaven National Laboratory advances fundamental research in nuclear and particle physics to gain a deeper understanding of matter, energy, space, and time; applies photon sciences and nanomaterials research to energy challenges of critical importance to the nation; and performs cross-disciplinary research on climate change, sustainable energy, and Earth’s ecosystems.