1900: A physics genius wandering around Europe

Chapter 660 The Cyclotron is Born! How to Accelerate Neutrons? The Most Powerful Bombardment Source is Created! An Experimental Frenzy!
The emergence of quantum field theory and quantum electrodynamics has brought theoretical physics back to its peak!

In everyone's hearts, this is Professor Bruce's clarion call for the path to unification!
He chose to live in seclusion in Borneo not to enjoy his old age, but to live a second life!

Everyone admired and revered this.

Dirac's magnetic monopole conjecture demonstrates the infinite possibilities of quantum field theory.

If you are smart enough, you can build a magnificent edifice on the foundation of quantum field theory.

"Theoretical physics has a promising future!"

Borneo, Kuching, Atomic Research Institute.

The research institute was unusually lively today.

Because the cyclotron that Yu Yin was in charge of building was finally a success!
When Li Qiwei arrived at the research institute and saw the accelerator, which was only the size of a washbasin, he was deeply moved.

He immediately shouted:
"This is the hope for the future!"

Wow!
All the teachers and students were deeply shocked.

Although they didn't understand why Professor Li valued the cyclotron so much, his sincere feelings touched everyone.

That was a pure love for science.

As a leading figure in experimental research, Yu Yin was well aware of the value of cyclotrons.

Experimental physics is about to undergo an unprecedented revolution!

The students began to dream:
"Wow, you can publish a great paper just by doing a simple experiment with a cyclotron."

"This is the disruptive power of new instruments and equipment."

In later generations, there was a very famous instrument called the "cryo-electron microscope".

A prominent figure in China used it to publish numerous articles in journals such as *Nature* and *Science*.

Because there is only one such machine in the entire country, whatever the result is, it is unique.

Unfortunately, while the inventor of cryo-electron microscopy won the Nobel Prize in Physics, those who actually use it will never be able to.

At this moment, Li Qiwei certainly didn't think much of this "small" cyclotron; he made higher demands.

"Yu Yin, do you think there's any room for improvement in this accelerator?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Yin pondered for a moment and then said:
"Teacher, you don't mean simply increasing the size of the accelerator, do you?"

Li Qiwei nodded in satisfaction.

Yu Yin said:

“I call the current cyclotron a first-generation product.”

"It has a significant drawback, namely, it is limited by relativistic effects."

"The higher the speed of a charged particle, the greater its mass; there is an acceleration limit."

"According to my calculations, while maintaining the practicality of the accelerator, it is possible to accelerate alpha particles to 50 MeV and protons to 30 MeV."

"Therefore, the goal of the second-generation cyclotron is to overcome the relativistic effects."

"And I think I have a general idea."

"That is to synchronously change the frequency of the accelerating voltage."

After saying that, Yu Yin began to explain his ideas on the paper.

Li Qiwei nodded as he read.

Yu Yin is indeed an experimental genius.

What he envisioned was the second version of the cyclotron in real history: the synchrotron.

Synchrotron accelerators are cleverly designed to accelerate charged particles without changing their path, the key being the voltage change that matches the particle's velocity.

Such precise control cannot be achieved by human intervention; it requires complex control mechanisms designed with transistors.

This shows that science and technology are complementary.

However, there is another upgraded version of the classic cyclotron: the isochronous cyclotron.

Li Qiwei said with a smile:

"Your idea is very good."

"But there's another direction you can consider."

"Current cyclotrons can only accelerate a few specific particles such as alpha particles or protons."

"With the development of experimental physics, it may be necessary to accelerate more types of charged particles in the future."

"So, is it possible to accelerate all the ions of all elements on the periodic table with just one accelerator?"

"This can greatly improve the efficiency of instrument use."

Wow!
Yu Yin was startled upon hearing this!
The teacher is indeed a teacher; his thoughts are so profound.

Moreover, this angle is excellent.

If the same accelerator can accelerate all ions, then there are so many experiments that can be done.

Thinking about this, he became very excited.

"Teacher, I'll go back and study it carefully."

Li Qiwei patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile:

"No rush, take your time."

"This kind of thing is not only related to basic science, but also to the level of technological development."

"You should not only focus on science itself, but also broaden your horizons."

Yu Yin respectfully agreed.

Suddenly, Li Qiwei seemed to remember something. He smiled slightly and said:

"Oh, right, there's one more small problem."

"A neutron is an uncharged elementary particle, so can a cyclotron accelerate a neutron?"

ha?
Yu Yin was instantly dumbfounded!
The teacher's thinking is too unpredictable.

And that's simply impossible.

Whether it's a linear accelerator or a cyclotron, they are essentially accelerated by utilizing the principle of charged particles being subjected to electromagnetic forces.

Neutrons are uncharged, so how can they be accelerated?

However, Yu Yin did not reveal this idea.

What kind of person is a teacher? Could he not have thought of this?

But the other party still brought it up.

There must be a hidden secret within!
Yu Yin pondered for a long time but still couldn't figure it out, so he had no choice but to honestly say:
"Direct acceleration is definitely not an option; we must rely on indirect acceleration methods."

"I can't think of a specific method yet."

Suddenly, he exclaimed with delight:

"Teacher, have you already thought of a solution?"

Li Qiwei smiled slightly and said:

"I've thought of two methods."

Wow!
Yu Yin was deeply shocked!

He couldn't think of any of them, but the teacher immediately thought of two.

The gap is too big.

"The first type is direct impact."

"Use protons or other high-energy particles to directly bombard neutrons and accelerate them."

"The second method is to use charged particles to drive neutrons to accelerate."

"For example, a proton can be accelerated with a neutron. Once it reaches a certain speed, a magnetic field can be used to separate the proton, leaving only the high-speed neutron."

Upon hearing this, Yu Yin suddenly understood.

So that’s it!
With proper design, a cyclotron can certainly achieve this.

"This idea is brilliant."

In the future, he might become the world's first person to accelerate a neutron.

It will absolutely lead the trend in experimental physics.

However, Yu Yin still had some doubts, and he asked in bewilderment:
"Teacher, why do you want to accelerate neutrons?"

"As a bombardment source, its advantage is not much greater than that of other particles."

Li Qiwei's eyes were deep, as if he could see the endless distance.

Earth, fire, and feng shui are reshaping the universe!

"I have always felt that the neutron, as a fundamental particle, has not yet realized its true value."

"Perhaps it also holds secrets that are unknown to others."

hiss!
Upon hearing this, Yu Yin's expression turned solemn.

Since the professor values ​​neutrons so much, he will make neutron research a key research topic for the institute.
-
University of Rome, Italy.

Fermi seems to have entered a low point in his life recently.

He switched from theoretical physics to experimental physics, which he thought was a lucky choice.

At first, he did indeed think so. Experimental physics flourished, with discoveries emerging one after another.

Artificial radioactivity, antimatter
Each one shocked the physics community.

Unfortunately, it was others who were shocked, not Fermi.

His experimental group has not yet produced any notable results.

However, at this very moment, theoretical physics brought another piece of amazing news.

Professor Bruce single-handedly supported the heavens, and his ideas on quantum field theory shone brightly like the sun high in the sky.

His creation of quantum electrodynamics ended the era of electromagnetic interaction, shocking the scientific community!
Such a great theory proves once again that theoretical physics is far from being dormant!
Dirac later became famous in the physics community for his magnetic monopole conjecture.

Fermi was deeply moved.

He was once a genius who could publish "Fermi-Dirac statistics" alongside Dirac.

But now, who in the physics community can still remember Fermi's name?

At this moment, Fermi cleared his mind of distractions and continued to immerse himself in the experiment.

His task was to find a powerful neutron source that could be used as a bombardment source.

Fermi firmly believed that bombarding the nuclei of other elements with neutrons would yield extraordinary results.

But even a skilled cook can't cook without rice, and now he's stuck here.

Amaldi, a member of the boy group, comforted him:
"Fermi, you've been working too hard lately and need to rest."

"I'd like to invite everyone to my house for a party and to relax."

Upon hearing this, Fermi smiled slightly.

"Ok."

At Amaldi's home.

The people in the lab were drinking fine wine and chatting about various topics.

Of course, the academic aspect is still the primary focus.

"Do you think Professor Bruce's quantum field theory can really achieve unification?"

"I think it's a bit far-fetched."

"Professor Einstein had already tried it before, but unification is too difficult."

"Unifying gravity and electromagnetism alone is so difficult, let alone the elusive strong and weak forces."

"I really can't imagine what kind of unparalleled wisdom could achieve unification."

"Professor Bruce has already reached the pinnacle, but he's probably still a little short."

Any topic related to Professor Bruce always manages to pique everyone's interest.

At this moment, Amaldi saw Femi drinking alone in a corner, so he deliberately laughed loudly:

"Oh dear, we should have faith in Professor Bruce!"

"Even in his youth, he displayed the ambition to unify physics."

"More than 20 years have passed, and he has been living up to his ideals."

"Such courage is admirable."

"To use a trendy phrase, he never forgot his original aspiration."

Upon hearing this, everyone was deeply moved.

Professor Bruce, a man of such purity and wisdom, deserves to be learned from and respected by all.

However, Fermi, who was drinking, had a sudden realization after hearing Amaldi's last words.

His wine glass remained still, and his eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He thought of a possibility he had overlooked!

"My original aspiration."

"Alpha rays bombard beryllium, producing a powerful neutron flux that can knock out neutrons from paraffin."

"This shows that beryllium is inherently suitable for producing neutrons."

"What would happen if I bombarded beryllium with alpha rays produced by radon, the most radioactive element?"

Wow!
Fermi's heart burned with increasing fervor as he thought about it.

The wine in my hand suddenly lost its appeal.

He quickly stood up, and to everyone's surprise, grabbed Amaldi's hand and said joyfully:

"Thank you for organizing the party, Amaldi."

"I have something to take care of and need to go back to the lab first."

"You guys keep playing."

After saying that, he left in a hurry.

Everyone was left looking at each other.

Lasetti, acting as his assistant, said blankly:
"How about we have a few more drinks before we go back?"

"Amaldi, your wine is quite good."

Everyone fainted.

You're such a competent assistant.

Inside the physics laboratory at the University of Rome.

Fermi skillfully arranged all the instruments.

He looked at that tiny amount of radioactive radon as if it were a rare treasure.

He had specifically requested this from Professor Rutherford.

Rutherford greatly admired theoretical geniuses like Fermi joining the field of experimental physics, and therefore took good care of him.

During the establishment of the laboratory, he shared a lot of experience with Fermi.

At this moment, Fermi guided the alpha rays reflected by radon onto beryllium.

Next, he began measuring the kinetic energy of the generated neutrons to determine the intensity of the neutron flux and whether it could be used as a bombardment source.

Snapped!
Under Fermi's surprised gaze, the detector flashed a dazzling light.

"My God!"

"This intensity is stronger than any previous radiation!"

At that moment, Fermi even felt an urge to cry.

Having experienced so many failures and witnessed the rapid development and explosive achievements in the field of physics, his perseverance had long since reached its limit.

The light emitted by the neutron collision is the sharpness that his heart has been tempered by!

Soon, Amaldi, Lasetti, and others arrived, their faces flushed.

As soon as they entered the lab, they saw Fermi's barely suppressed joy.

"Pope, did you succeed?"

Fermi turned around and said loudly:

"I found it!"

"I've found the most powerful neutron source!"

boom!
Everyone immediately jumped for joy.

Fermi's previous plan can now be implemented!

Segre drank the least and was the most sober at that moment.

He said quickly:
"Then let's give it a try."

"Let's start with lithium. It has the lowest atomic number among solids, making it the simplest to experiment with."

After saying that, he quickly found the lithium sample that had been prepared earlier.

This illustrates the importance of teamwork.

While Fermi was exploring, the others were not idle either.

Soon, Segre arranged the lithium elements.

Amidst everyone's eager anticipation, the experiment began!
The alpha rays emitted by radon first bombard beryllium, producing a powerful neutron flux.

Next, the neutron flux struck the lithium.

Although no phenomenon was visible to the naked eye, everyone knew very well that a fierce war had broken out in the microscopic realm.

Finally, to everyone's astonishment...

Radioactivity has been detected!

"Oh, God!"

"We actually succeeded in finding artificial radioactivity on our first try, which is so difficult to find!"

"Pope, you are too strong!"

At that moment, Fermi was truly a hero in the hearts of the young group, a hero of Italian science!

He used the most powerful neutron source to bombard a vast future!

(End of this chapter)