INFN - Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS)
Contact: Paolo Finocchiaro
Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (LNS) is one of the four national laboratories of INFN. Founded in 1976 it currently employs about 150 people (researchers, technicians, PhD and Diploma students) and represents an advanced development center for technology and instrumentation.
The research activity is mainly devoted to the study of structure and properties of atomic nuclei, in collaboration with researchers coming from several countries.
At LNS two particle accelerators are available: a 15MV Tandem Van De Graaff that started to be used for the first experiments in the early '80s, and a K800 Superconducting Cyclotron in full operation since 1996.
The EXCYT facility for the production of exotic beams, based on the coupled operation of the two mentioned accelerators, is already running.
Research and development of new apparatuses and technologies are typically applied to different fields like biophysics, photonics, plasma science, radwaste monitoring.
The CATANA center for the proton therapy of the eye-melanoma and a laboratory for the analysis of hystorical and archaeological heritage by means of non-destructive techniques are in operation at LNS.
It is also worth mentioning a submarine laboratory installed at 2000m depth offshore from Catania, to be used for R&D related to the NEutrino Mediterranean Observatory project.
At the moment LNS is also involved in research and development of particle accelerators and beam diagnostics, as well as of new acceleration techniques using high power lasers.