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Vacuum Solutions for Accelerators

With decades of experience and strong partnerships with major research and medical institutions, Pfeiffer Vacuum+Fab Solutions offers more than just vacuum pumps. We provide comprehensive vacuum solutions including chambers, gauges, and all components required to build and operate ultra-high vacuum (UHV) systems.

Vacuum requirements in accelerator applications

Accelerators place extraordinary demands on vacuum systems: ultra-high vacuum levels, resistance to ionizing radiation, compatibility with cryogenics, and 24/7 operational stability.

These requirements vary across application areas – from high-energy particle physics to precision-focused medical treatment – and shape the way vacuum components are designed, engineered, and deployed.

Our vacuum solutions for accelerators

Thanks to our comprehensive portfolio, we supply research, medical, and industrial accelerators with robust, radiation-resistant vacuum technology. From turbopumps and dry backing pumps to measurement and analysis tools, we offer complete systems optimized for UHV performance, beamline reliability, and radiation tolerance.

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Our technologies include:

  • Radiation-hardened turbopumps with remote electronics
  • Dry backing pumps
  • Mobile turbomolecular vacuum pump units
  • Passive pressure gauges
  • Helium leak detectors and residual gas analyzers (RGA)
  • UHV cleanliness qualification with modular RGA systems
  • Custom UHV chambers
  • Ion sources

Contact our vacuum experts to configure a solution tailored to your accelerator application or refer to our FAQ for further information.

Particle accelerators

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High-energy physics

High-energy physics (HEP) accelerators like synchrotrons, cyclotrons, linear accelerators (linacs), and free-electron lasers (FELs) are essential for exploring fundamental physics and studying subatomic particles. These systems operate at very high energies and in extreme environments.

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Vacuum requirements

  • UHV compatibility: components must meet strict standards for cleanliness and low outgassing.
  • Radiation resistance: continuous operation in high-radiation zones.
  • High reliability: maximum uptime is critical for high-cost research environments.

Key applications

  • Particle collision experiments (e.g. CERN, LHC)
  • Synchrotron light sources for advanced materials and structural analysis
  • Spallation neutron sources for neutron scattering and material research
  • Free-electron lasers (FELs) generating high-intensity X-ray pulses
  • Insulation vacuum systems for cryogenic infrastructure
  • Helium recovery and re-liquefaction systems in superconducting accelerator environments

Medical linear accelerators and other applications

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Medical accelerators require high accuracy, compact design, and continuous uptime to meet strict safety and reliability standards. This includes linacs, ion beam therapy systems, and radiopharmaceutical production facilities.

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Vacuum requirements

  • Compact, clean design: especially for treatment rooms and imaging systems
  • Radiation durability: resistant to ionizing radiation over time
  • High reliability: uptime is critical for patient therapy schedules

Medical applications

  • Proton therapy: A targeted radiation treatment that directs a precise beam at the tumor, minimizing exposure to healthy tissue.
  • Radiopharmaceuticals: Generation of radioactive and stable isotopes for use in medical imaging and therapy.
  • Radiotherapy systems: Uses linear accelerators (linacs) to treat patients.

Industrial use cases

  • Electron beam sterilization of medical goods
  • Crosslinking polymers and modifying cable coatings

Learn more about accelerators

What is a particle accelerator?

A particle accelerator uses electrical power to generate electromagnetic waves that accelerate charged particles, such as electrons, protons, or ions, to very high speeds. These particles are directed into experiments where they collide or interact to study fundamental physics or deliver treatment in medical applications. Vacuum systems are essential for reliably accelerating particles under ultra-high vacuum conditions, minimizing beam interference.

Learn more in our vacuum technology book

What role do cryogenics and thermal management play in accelerator vacuum processes?

Vacuum systems in particle and medical accelerators are exposed to significant thermal loads during operation. High-energy beams and surrounding parts often generate high temperatures, especially in continuous or pulsed beam environments. To ensure system stability, cooling systems are integrated into vacuum chambers and components to manage heat and reduce thermal stress.

In research accelerators using superconducting technologies, cryogenics is essential, cooling magnets and structures to extremely low temperatures to maintain superconductivity and minimize energy loss. Effective thermal management is critical for maintaining ultra-high vacuum conditions and ensuring reliable long-term operation of sensitive accelerator processes, such as particle transport, target irradiation, or isotope generation.

Which vacuum technology is used in accelerator environments?

Pfeiffer offers a comprehensive range of radiation-resistant and UHV-compatible vacuum technologies tailored to meet the specific needs of research accelerators, medical linear accelerators, and industrial electron beam systems. The product range includes:

Turbomolecular vacuum pumps

  • HiPace series with radiation-hardened design
  • Compatible with remote electronics (TCP 350 / TCP 1200) for safe operation up to 120 m outside the radiation zone
  • Suitable for direct installation near beamlines or spallation targets


Dry backing pumps

  • ACP multi-stage Roots vacuum pumps: fluorine- and oil-free, NEG-compatible, clean and thus suitable for UHV systems
  • HiScroll scroll vacuum pumps and MVP 15-4 AC diaphragm vacuum pumps: quiet, compact, oil-free
  • COBRA NS dry screw vacuum pumps: helium leak tightness up to 1E-06 hPa (mbar)·l/s, ideal for helium recovery setups


Mobile turbomolecular vacuum pump units

  • HiCube Neo: portable solution for fast evacuation of beamline segments and UHV chambers

Measurement

  • ModulLine: passive total pressure gauges with TPG 500 display unit

Analysis tools

Custom UHV chambers and components

  • Precision-engineered with metal seals, electropolished surfaces, and low-desorption materials
  • Acceptance-tested for leak rate, residual gas spectrum, and cleanliness

Ion Beam Technology

  • EBIS and ECRIS ion sources
  • Optional LEBT (Low Energy Beam Transport) interfaces


All components are tested under accelerator-specific conditions and deployed at leading facilities such as CERN, ESS, and XFEL.

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How does radiation therapy work and what is a linac?

In radiotherapy, a highly targeted treatment beam delivers maximum energy to the tumor while minimizing exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. Proton therapy, one form of radiation therapy, uses accelerated protons for precise targeting.

Medical linear accelerators (linacs) are precision machines commonly used in radiation therapy to generate high-energy X-rays or electrons to form a treatment beam that accurately targets tumors. Linacs can also treat superficial tumors close to the skin with electron beams.

What is a spallation neutron source?

Spallation neutron sources generate neutrons by bombarding a target material with protons or ions. These neutrons are utilized for research in areas like physics, chemistry, and materials science.

How does a vacuum system support accelerator performance in particle physics and medical applications?

Vacuum systems are crucial for both experimental setups and linear accelerators. They ensure that charged particle beams remain uncontaminated by residual gas molecules, which is essential for beam stability and precision. In high-energy physics (HEP), maintaining ultra-high vacuum (UHV) reduces scattering and phase noise, enabling accurate measurements in high-energy environments. In medical applications, vacuum conditions ensure reliable beam delivery for treatments like proton beam therapy.

What is an accelerator-driven system (ADS)?

An ADS generates neutron beams via spallation by propelling protons at high speeds into a target material, usually composed of heavy elements like lead or tungsten. This induces a spallation reaction, releasing neutrons for research purposes.

How do vacuum pump requirements differ between proton guns and irradiation chambers/accelerators?

Proton guns typically use smaller vacuum pumps. In contrast, irradiation chambers and accelerators require larger pumps. Both ensure optimal performance and reliability.

What is important regarding the radiation resistance of Pfeiffer products?

Products from Pfeiffer, including turbopumps and remote electronics, are designed for high radiation environments. These vacuum pumps have been used successfully at CERN for over 40 years. Our solutions are crafted with materials selected for their ability to withstand radiation and minimize outgassing.

Our customer success stories

Vacuum excellence in leading accelerator projects and research facilities

European XFEL – X-ray free-electron laser, Germany

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The European XFEL generates ultra-short X-ray pulses to study atomic-scale structures in biology, chemistry, and materials science. Pfeiffer supplied turbopumps, tailor-made flanges, mass spectrometers, and gauges to maintain both high and ultra-high vacuum (HV/UHV) along the beamlines.

Tailored integration with the XFEL control system ensures operational safety, redundancy, and minimal downtime during demanding experimental runs​.

European spallation source (ESS), Sweden

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At the forefront of high-energy physics, the ESS sets new standards for neutron-based research. Pfeiffer developed tailor-made vacuum solutions, including Teflon-free turbopumps and oil-free ACP multi-stage Roots vacuum pumps as backing pumps, for use directly adjacent to the spallation target. Remote electronics (up to 1000 m) and advanced material choices allow continuous operation under extreme radiation levels and thermal loads.

LIGO – gravitational wave observatory, USA

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In the world’s first detection of gravitational waves, solutions from Pfeiffer were used in LIGO’s four kilometer UHV beamlines. HiPace turbopumps and residual gas analyzers helped eliminate molecular interference in laser interferometry. Pfeiffer products were key in leak detection, gas diagnostics, and ensuring beamline vacuum quality over long-term experiments​.

Marburg ion beam therapy center (MIT), Germany

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This state-of-the-art facility delivers high-energy proton and carbon ion beams for precision cancer treatment. As a result of advanced engineering, Pfeiffer provided complete vacuum systems – including turbopumps, diaphragm pumps, PrismaPlus mass spectrometers, and radiation-resistant gauges.

The entire beamline from ion source to treatment room is kept under UHV to ensure energy-efficient, targeted radiation therapy. The system operates 24/7, with minimal maintenance and maximum reliability.