Dr. Robert Flocchini, Director

Crocker Nuclear Laboratory operates as part of the group of Organized Research Units administered by the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Research. Crocker Nuclear Laboratory hosts a diverse group of research programs, nearly all of which are related to applied science programs.

Constructed in the mid-sixties, CNL, houses a low energy particle accelerator. The accelerator, an isochronous cyclotron, is one of the few of this design remaining in productive operation.

The Crocker Nuclear Labortory's Isochronous Cyclotron began operating in 1965, accelerating protons, alpha particles, and other light ions into various targets to study nuclear structure. Instead of the uniform magnetic fields used in the earlier cyclotrons, the isochronous design employed tailored sectors with a varying magnetic field. This design compensated for increases in the mass of ions as they accelerated, both focusing their paths and keeping them in resonance at high energies. In its day, this design was considered a major technological breakthrough.

The staff of CNL invite you to enjoy learning about our facility, its current projects and its history, including a historical account leading to the formation of CNL by Dr. John Jungerman.

Information on various aspects of Crocker Laboratory is available by clicking on the links above.