CMAM-UAM as part of the XXV Science and Innovation Week

As every year, the Community of Madrid, through the Madri+d Foundation for Knowledge, organizes the Science and Innovation Week, during which activities related to various scientific disciplines take place from November 3rd to 16th.

As part of the XXV Science and Innovation Week, the event “Visita al acelerador de partículas de la UAM” was held on November 5th. This activity was organised by the Centre for Microanalysis of Materials (CMAM), a research center belonging to the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), whose main experimental tool is a 5 MV electrostatic ion accelerator devoted to the analysis and modification of materials. Furthermore, CMAM is part of the distributed ICTS IABA, along with the National Center for Accelerators (CNA), with which it collaborates on various activities, including outreach initiatives.

During this open-house event, CMAM showcased its particle accelerator to more than 150 participants. Divided into groups, visitors first saw the control room, where CMAM researchers explained how the accelerator works. The tour then continued into the facility housing the accelerator and its six beamlines. Here, the versatility of the accelerator was highlighted, as it enables research ranging from the modification and analysis of advanced materials using ion beam techniques to neutron production through nuclear reactions induced by α particles—an area of interest for nuclear astrophysics, medical applications, and radiobiological research.