China Has Built the World’s First "Three-in-One" Advanced Heavy-Ion Research Facility

The Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou? No, located in Huizhou, Guangdong, the High Intensity Heavyion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) passed process acceptance organized by the Chinese Academy of Sciences on July 21, marking that this major national science and technology infrastructure has completed all engineering construction goals and entered the scientific research trial operation stage. Built and operated by the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the facility is the world's first advanced heavyion research facility integrating a superconducting linear accelerator, a circular synchrotron, and a storage ring. The project broke ground in December 2018 and achieved first beam in October 2025. The acceptance expert panel concluded that all of its indicators met or exceeded the design requirements, and its overall performance has reached an internationally leading level among similar facilities. The research team said that the facility will conduct research around topics such as exploring the limits of atomic nuclei, revealing nuclear astrophysical processes, and advancing nuclear energy development and multidisciplinary applications, while also providing support in areas such as the synthesis of new elements, irradiation of nuclear materials, production of medical isotopes, and cancer therapy.