Particle accelerators play an increasingly important role throughout our modern world. They are the fundamental tools enabling discovery science at many of the Office of Science facilities, supporting roughly 20,000 Office of Science users per year in the areas of Basic Energy Sciences, High Energy Physics, and Nuclear Physics. Accelerators are also used by the DOE Isotope Program to develop and produce radioactive and stable isotopes that are used worldwide for medical diagnosis and treatment, national security, and industrial processes, among other applications. These accelerator-based Office of Science programs contribute to the economic, technical, and scientific strength of the United States.
Accelerators also play an important role in the private sector. Of the roughly 50,000 accelerators operating worldwide, about a third are used for cancer therapy and another third for ion implantation for manufacturing processes, with over 5 million cancer patients and about $300B worth of semiconductors treated every year. Other industrial applications include treating potable and waste water, remediating water-borne and soil-borne contaminants, and removing pollutants from stack gases. Accelerators also have critical national security applications, including cargo inspection and special nuclear material detection using Bremsstrahlung radiation, nuclear resonance fluorescence, and neutron generation.
The Accelerator R&D and Production (ARDAP) program helps ensure that new and emerging accelerator technology will be available for future discovery science, medicine, industry, and national security needs by helping coordinate accelerator science and technology investments made through the other Office of Science offices. ARDAP also makes its own investments in fundamental accelerator technology R&D and in the commercialization of these technologies. ARDAP ensures technologies for use-inspired applications outside discovery science are included in this development through its Accelerator Stewardship program.
Learn more about the ARDAP mission and programs.
Contact Information
Accelerator R&D and Production
U.S. Department of Energy
Germantown Building
1000 Independence Avenue., SW
Washington, DC 20585
P: (301) 903 - 5475
E: [email protected]