Physics, P

Our Mission

Our mission is to further understand the physical world, generate new or improved technology in experimental physics, and establish a physics foundation for current and future Los Alamos programs.

Research Highlights

Muon Spectrometer

Our physicists use the PHENIX muon spectrometers to study the decay products of 100-GeV-per-nucleon collisions and their behavior to learn about the fundamental physical laws governing the strong interactions in the universe. Find out more about PHENIX, including viewing an animation.

Quantum Cryptography

Our researchers have developed a long-distance, free-space quantum key distribution (QKD) system that can transmit a cryptographic key whose security is guaranteed by physical laws. Find out more about QKD, including an animation.

ATLAS: Pulse Power for Stockpile Stewardship

Atlas stores up to 24 MJ of electrical energy in its 96 capacitor banks and delivers up to 30 MA of current—more current than any other fast capacitor bank in the world. Find out more about Atlas, including viewing an animation.

Research Areas

• High Energy-Density Physics: Hydrodynamics, Instabilities, and Turbulence; Dynamic Materials Properties and Behaviors; Ignition
• Plasma Physics: Magnetic Fusion Experiments; Basic Plasma Sciences; Applied Plasma Jets
• Nuclear Physics: Strong-Interaction Nuclear Physics; Neutrino Physics; Weak Interaction Physics; High-Energy Astrophysics Ultra-Cold and Pulsed, Cold Neutrons
• Biophysics: Physics of Intelligence; Biomedical Engineering and Imaging; The Structure, Function, and Dynamics of Biomolecules
• Quantum Information Science Technology: Quantum Cryptography; Quantum Optics with Trapped Atomic Systems; Quantum Computation; Applications of Quantum Entanglement

Related Links

• Facilities: Milagro
• Industrial Partnerships
• Physics Resources
• Physics/Theoretical Colloquia
• Quantum Institute:
  Visitor Schedule
• Research Highlights

P Division Documents

• Progress Reports