Unlocking the Universe with Particle Colliders

To probe the fundamental nature of matter, energy, space, and time, physicists rely on powerful machines known as particle accelerators. These devices smash high-energy particles together, producing bursts of millions of new particles with varying masses and velocities every second. Occasionally, these collisions yield particles that defy the expectations of the Standard Model—the dominant theory describing the universe’s most basic components.

Figure 1. Capturing Ghost Particles in 4D: The Quantum Sensor Revolution in Collider Physics.

As scientists prepare to develop even more powerful accelerators capable of producing higher-intensity collisions, a new challenge emerges: how can they sift through the resulting subatomic chaos to uncover meaningful insights? Figure 1 shows Capturing Ghost Particles in 4D: The Quantum Sensor Revolution in Collider Physics.

Quantum Sensors: A Precision Breakthrough

The breakthrough may lie in quantum sensors. Researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy's Fermilab, Caltech, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and other institutions are pioneering a new type of particle detection system utilizing quantum sensors—highly sensitive devices capable of detecting individual particles with exceptional precision.

"In the next 20 to 30 years, we will see a paradigm shift in particle colliders as they become more powerful in both energy and intensity," says Maria Spiropulu, Shang-Yi Ch’en Professor of Physics at Caltech. "This means we need more precise detectors. This is why we are developing quantum technology now, to include quantum sensing in our toolkit for optimizing next-generation searches for new particles, dark matter, and to explore the origins of space and time."

First Real-World Test of Quantum Detectors

“This is a significant step toward developing advanced detectors for future particle physics experiments,” says co-author Si Xie, a scientist at Fermilab and research scientist at Caltech. “This is just the beginning. We have the potential to detect lighter particles and exotic ones, such as those that could make up dark matter.”

Origins in Astronomy and Quantum Networks

The quantum sensors in this study are similar to a related family of sensors, called superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPDs), which are used in quantum networks and astronomy. For example, researchers at JPL, recognized leaders in designing and fabricating these sensors, recently deployed them in the Deep Space Optical Communications experiment. This demonstration used lasers to transmit high-definition data from space to Earth.

New Capabilities for Particle Physics

In their particle physics experiments, the researchers chose to use SMSPDs instead of SNSPDs due to their larger surface area, which is more effective at collecting the showers of particles produced in collisions. This marked the first time the sensors were used to detect charged particles—a feature essential for particle physics but unnecessary for quantum networks or astronomy. "The novelty of this study is that we demonstrated the sensors can efficiently detect charged particles," explains Xie.

The SMSPD sensors also offer enhanced precision in detecting particles in both space and time. "We call them 4D sensors because they improve both spatial and time resolution simultaneously," Xie says. "Typically, in particle physics experiments, you must adjust sensors to optimize either time or spatial resolution, but not both at once."

Why 4D Matters in Particle Tracking

When analyzing the streams of particles produced by high-speed collisions, researchers aim to trace their exact paths in both space and time. Think of it like trying to track a person in a crowd at Grand Central Station, where people are flooding in from different trains. You'd want to have enough spatial resolution to identify individuals, but also sufficient time resolution to capture the movement of the person you're tracking. If you only had images every 10 seconds, you might miss key moments, but with photos taken every second, you'd have a far better chance of tracking your person of interest.

Paving the Way for Future Colliders

“We’re incredibly excited to work on groundbreaking detector research like SMSPDs, as they could be crucial for major projects in the field, such as the Future Circular Collider or a muon collider,” says Fermilab scientist and Caltech alumnus Cristián Peña (PhD ’17), who led the research. “It’s also exciting to have brought together a world-class team from multiple institutions to advance this emerging research to the next level.”

Source: SciTECHDaily

Cite this article:

Priyadharshini S (2025), Capturing Ghost Particles in 4D: How Quantum Sensors are Revolutionizing Collider Physics, AnaTechMaz, pp. 279