New types of particle accelerators revolutionize civil and military research.

"Conceptual illustration of micronozzle acceleration (MNA). A solid hydrogen rod is embedded in an aluminum micronozzle, which channels and focuses plasma flow to optimize proton acceleration. Credit: Masakatsu Murakami"(Phys.org/Tabletop particle blaster: How tiny nozzles and lasers could replace giant accelerators)

Lasers and micronozzles bring the tabletop particle accelerators closer to reality. Those systems use laser beams and magnetic fields to accelerate protons and electrons. Those systems can raise the electron’s energy level. The new system that combines liquid hydrogen and laser beams can raise the proton’s energy level to 1 GeV. That kind of ion system is much smaller than CERN particle accelerators, The new accelerator type can revolutionize civil and military technology. The ion engines or plasma ion engines that use high-energy plasma to create thrust can use that new particle accelerator type. 

The system can inject high-energy particles into gas and that system turns plasma into a high-energy level. The ion engine that can expand plasma like a regular rocket engine can form higher thrust than the regular ion engines. The plasma-ion engines combine ion and rocket engines under the new hybrid concept where high-energy plasma raises the gas temperature. There is a possibility to use antimatter injection to create high-energy plasma. The antiproton or positron injection will raise the gas's temperature and that creates thrust. 

"Concept of micronozzle acceleration (MNA). The MNA target employs a micronozzle housing a solid hydrogen rod (H-rod), precisely placed near the nozzle neck to maximize proton yield. Acting as a "power lens," the micronozzle focuses the incident laser energy onto the H-rod, enabling efficient and localized energy deposition. This configuration significantly boosts proton acceleration near the nozzle exit, outperforming setups lacking the nozzle structure. Credit: Scientific Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-03385-x" (Phys.org/Tabletop particle blaster: How tiny nozzles and lasers could replace giant accelerators)

*The implications are wide-reaching:

*Energy: Supports fast ignition schemes in laser-driven nuclear fusion.

*Medicine: Enables more compact and precise systems for proton cancer therapy.

*Fundamental science: Creates conditions to simulate extreme astrophysical environments and probe matter under ultra-strong magnetic fields.

(Phys.org/Tabletop particle blaster: How tiny nozzles and lasers could replace giant accelerators)

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"Illustration of a spacecraft powered by nuclear propulsion and solar sails traveling towards Sedna. Image generated by AI." (RudeBaquette, “We’re Finally Fast Enough”: Nuclear Propulsion and Solar Sails Could Blast a Spacecraft to Sedna in Just 7 Years)

In that spacecraft, the solar sail can act as a reactor cooler. The futuristic system comprises a solar sail and a nuclear thermal engine that can boost the rocket into a very high speed. And the atomic engine can use pulsed plasma to create ultra-high thrust. Begin of the journey the system can use both, solar sail and a nuclear engine for maximum thrust. Then at a longer distance that solar sail can turn into a cooling system. 

These kinds of plasma systems are dangerous in the wrong hands. The ion cannon is basically the same system as the ion engine. The main problem with ion cannons is how to keep the particle beam in its form. Particles with the same polarity repel each other. There is a possibility to shoot electron beams in the ion beam. Or the target can be loaded with opposite-polarity electricity that pulls those ions to it.

But there is also the possibility of creating plasma bombs by using ion technology. Basically, a plasma bomb is only a magnetic tank where high-energy plasma hovers away from the wall. The laser, microwave, or particle accelerators can create that plasma. The particle accelerator can load high-energy plasma into the bomb by using the positron injection. When that bomb drops to the ground its shell is broken. And that releases plasma from 10- 10000 or even millions of degrees Celsius to the air. Theoretically, plasma bombs can replace thermonuclear weapons if they can create plasma that has a temperature of tens of millions of degrees Celsius. 

The antimatter bomb is the tank where antimatter hovers away from the walls. The small-sized particle accelerator that is in the airplane can load antimatter into those capsules that the system shoots at the enemy. The antimatter capsules can also be used as fuel pellets for antimatter rockets. 

https://physicsworld.com/a/micronozzle-could-give-laser-driven-particle-accelerators-a-boost/

https://phys.org/news/2025-06-tabletop-particle-blaster-tiny-nozzles.html

https://www.rudebaguette.com/en/2025/07/were-finally-fast-enough-nuclear-propulsion-and-solar-sails-could-blast-a-spacecraft-to-sedna-in-just-7-years/