An achievement made using the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) at CERN, this discovery promises to be the long-sought Higgs particle which could help answer many of the remaining mysteries of particle physics.
The LHC is a gigantic 27-kilometer ring accelerator which requires ultra-high vacuum conditions to operate. Along with the four detectors used for experiments at CERN, which include ATLAS and CMS, it is located deep below the ground. The strong radiation caused by the accelerated particles within the LHC and the presence of very strong magnetic fields present technical challenges for the design and operation of vacuum systems. Working together effectively with several scientific and technical collaborators responsible for various aspects of the experiments, Oerlikon designed systems which overcame these challenges and are unique to CERN.
Oerlikon’s vacuum technology business, Oerlikon Leybold Vacuum, equipped the LHC and the large ATLAS detector with special vacuum systems, then designed and installed two special pump systems for the CMS detector system.
Andreas Widl, CEO of Oerlikon Vacuum, said, “We are proud and excited for the ATLAS and CMS teams after the breakthrough announcement. This experiment has significant importance for a better understanding of the world of physics. It is the result of the hard and creative work of exceptional teams. We at Oerlikon Vacuum congratulate those teams and feel honored to have made a small contribution to this success.”
Dr. José Miguel Jimenez, head of CERN’s Vacuum, Surfaces and Coatings group in the Technology Department, said, “To meet this amazing challenge, we were pleased to find in Oerlikon a partner capable of collaborating with us in the vacuum systems of the LHC and its injectors.”
Oerlikon CEO Michael Buscher said, “R&D applications like those of CERN are a perfect illustration of how we are devoted to solving the most difficult challenges together with our customers and partners. Innovation is at the very core of Oerlikon’s DNA and plays an essential role in our long-term strategy for profitable growth.”
