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| CERN PS East Area | |
|---|---|
| Name | CERN PS East Area |
| Location | Meyrin, Switzerland |
| Established | 1960s |
| Operator | CERN |
| Beam | Proton, secondary beams |
| Partof | Proton Synchrotron |
CERN PS East Area is a particle beam experimental complex located on the East side of the Proton Synchrotron site at CERN in Meyrin. It provides secondary beams derived from the PS for detector development, radiation studies, and test-beam experiments supporting collaborations such as ATLAS (particle detector), CMS (detector), LHCb experiment, and ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment). The East Area interfaces with accelerator systems, user facilities, and safety infrastructure common to European Organization for Nuclear Research facilities.
The East Area functions as a fixed-target and test-beam hub linked to the Proton Synchrotron complex and to downstream facilities like the Super Proton Synchrotron. It supports short-term campaigns and long-term projects from institutions including University of Oxford, CERN, Imperial College London, Università di Pisa, and ETH Zurich. The site facilitates detector prototyping, calibration, irradiation testing, and beam instrumentation work for collaborations such as NA61/SHINE, COMPASS experiment, and various neutrino detector consortia. Infrastructure ties to services provided by CERN Accelerator Beamlines Division and the CERN Technical Support Department are central to its operation.
Originally developed to exploit secondary beams from the Proton Synchrotron during the 1960s, the East Area evolved alongside programs like ISOLDE and experiments associated with the Intersections of the PS Complex. Over decades upgrades paralleled milestones at Large Hadron Collider and the expansion of detector R&D for projects including ATLAS and CMS. Key historical shifts were driven by requirements from collaborations such as UA1, UA2, and later by particle astrophysics groups linked to Pierre Auger Observatory style detectors. Institutional coordination with bodies such as the European Committee for Future Accelerators influenced funding and strategic planning.
The East Area houses multiple beamlines, experimental halls, and beam instrumentation stations served by the PS extraction and transfer lines like elements comparable to TT2, TT10, and TCC2 configurations. It provides primary and secondary beams (protons, pions, kaons, electrons) tunable for momentum, intensity, and time structure for users from CERN Schools and research groups at Max Planck Institute for Physics and Fermilab collaborators. Onsite facilities include cryogenic support linked to CERN Cryogenics, cleanrooms similar to those used by European Space Agency projects, and radiation test benches compatible with standards from International Atomic Energy Agency. Beam diagnostic tools reference technologies developed at Paul Scherrer Institute and DESY.
Research programs span detector characterization for ATLAS (particle detector), CMS (detector), and LHCb experiment upgrades, radiation hardness studies for electronics used by ESA missions, and material irradiation campaigns relevant to ITER component testing. The East Area supports small-scale experiments from university groups such as University of Geneva and national labs including Brookhaven National Laboratory, enabling prototype calorimeter tests, silicon tracker evaluations, and timing detector R&D inspired by projects like Cerenkov Telescope Array. Collaborative programs often interact with funding agencies such as European Research Council and networks like Horizon 2020.
Beam time is allocated through proposal review coordinated by CERN Research Board procedures and scheduling by the CERN Accelerator and Technology Sector. Users submit proposals from institutions including Universität Hamburg, LAPP (Laboratoire d'Annecy-le-Vieux de Physique des Particules), and national consortia; allocation balances priority for projects tied to Large Hadron Collider upgrades and detector qualification campaigns for experiments like NA62. Operation cycles are synchronized with PS machine development periods and with maintenance windows defined by European Grid Infrastructure-linked computing campaigns for data analysis.
Radiation protection in the East Area follows standards promulgated by bodies such as the International Commission on Radiological Protection and implemented by the CERN Radiation Protection Group. Facilities include controlled access zones, interlock systems designed with input from Health and Safety Executive best practices, and environmental monitoring coordinated with cantonal authorities in Geneva. Procedures for handling activated materials reference protocols used at Cadarache and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and emergency planning interfaces with Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection.
Planned upgrades tie to the High-Luminosity LHC era, detector R&D roadmaps from ATLAS and CMS upgrade working groups, and community-driven projects supported by the European Strategy for Particle Physics. Prospective enhancements include improved secondary-beam optics inspired by concepts from Linear Collider studies, expanded irradiation facilities for semiconductor testing aligned with ESA needs, and upgraded control systems leveraging technologies from CERN Openlab. Coordination with international partners such as KEK, TRIUMF, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory aims to ensure the East Area continues to serve evolving experimental requirements.