What is Synchrotron?
{{about|the sub-atomic particle accelerator|applications of the [[synchrotron radiation]] produced by cyclic particle accelerators|synchrotron light source}} [[Image:Schéma de principe du synchrotron.jpg|right|300px|Here, the synchrotron is the circular track, off which the beamlines branch.]] A '''synchrotron''' is a type of [[particle accelerator]] where particles travel around many times in a circle. It uses a [[magnetic field]] to turn the particles in the circle and an [[electric field]] to speed up the particles. The components are carefully matched up with the travelling particle beam so that the circle stays the same size while the particles go faster. [[Mark Oliphant]] invented the [[proton]] synchrotron.<ref>[http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v407/n6803/full/407468a0.html Nature 407, 468 (28 September 2000)].</ref> [[Vladimir Veksler]] was the first to publish the idea. [[Edwin McMillan]] constructed the first [[electron]] synchrotron. The synchrotron is an improvement over the [[cyclotron]] where the particles travel in a spiral pattern. A cyclotron uses a constant [[magnetic field]] and a constant-frequency applied electric field. (One of these is varied in the [[synchrocyclotron]]). Both of these fields are varied in the synchrotron to change the path from a spiral to a circle. By carefully making the fields bigger as the particles gain energy, the width of the circular path can be kept the same as the machine accelerates the particles. This allows the [[vacuum]] chamber for the particles to be a large thin circular pipe [[torus]] (donut shape). It is easier to use some straight sections between the bending magnets and some bent sections within the magnets giving the torus the shape of a round-cornered polygon. A path that acts like a very large circle can be constructed using simple straight and curved pipe segments, unlike the disc-shaped chamber of the cyclotron type devices. The shape also requires the use of multiple magnets to bend the particle beams. Straight sections are required at