European Organization for Nuclear Research, in Switzerland, CERN, which is home to the Large Hadron Collider, has been developing a new particle accelerator. Researchers at CERN said that the new particle accelerator is just two metres long and will be used in hospitals for imaging and treatment of cancer.

The miniature accelerator will have four modules. The first of the four has already been constructed. Serge Mathot of the Cern engineering department said that with the construction of the first module, they have validated the concept in general.

The accelerator is a radiofrequency quadrupole (RFQ), which are designed with a special purpose to produce high-intensity beams. In the case of the accelerators, scientists faced the challenge to increase the operating frequency of the RFQ by double-fold, so they can shorten its length, a thing never done before.

Alessandra Lombardi, head of the design of the RFQ, said, "Thanks to new beam dynamics and innovative ideas for the radiofrequency and mechanical aspects, we came up with an accelerator de sign that was much better adapted to the practical requirements of medical applications".

The newly developed RFQ has the ability to produce low-intensity beams without causing any significant losses. Its microamps have been ground at the frequency of MHz, allowing it to become a much-needed injector for the advanced compact linear accelerators needed for the treatment of cancer with protons.

Its compact size and light weight will make it easy to be set up in hospitals and applicable for medical imaging. It could also prove useful for advanced radiotherapy.