A Long-Baseline Atom Interferometer at CERN LHC Point 4: Implementation Study
Abstract
Building on the feasibility study in CERN-PBC Report-2018-002 (Arduini et al. 2018), this report supported by the Physics Beyond Colliders (PBC) Study Group describes the technical implementation of modifications to the PX46 shaft at LHC Point 4 during LS3 (June 2026 - June 2030) that would enable it to accommodate the installation and operation of a vertical long-baseline Atom Interferometer during Run 4 without affecting LHC operations. We specify in detail the necessary civil-engineering work, installation of bespoke radiation shielding, deployment of access-control systems and safety alarms, and design of a mobile elevator platform. Our comprehensive technical assessment identifies no fundamental obstacles or showstoppers to implementation. Refined cost estimates and a critical-path schedule confirm that, from formal approval, all interventions can be completed within a 1.5-year window. These preparations would ensure seamless, concurrent operation of the Atom Interferometer experiment and the HL-LHC, with all technical challenges successfully addressed through established engineering solutions.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2508.09694,
title = {A Long-Baseline Atom Interferometer at CERN LHC Point 4: Implementation Study},
author = {G. Arduini and O. Buchmüller and T. A. Bud and S. Calatroni and O. Crespo-Lopez and A. Devienne and J. Ellis and T. Hakulinen and A. Infantino and D. Lafarge and A. P. Marion},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2508.09694},
year = {2025}
}
Comments
CERN-PBC Report-2025-004, 10 pages, multiple figures