The Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL), also called Lanzhou Heavy Ion Accelerator, is the largest heavy ion research facility in China and one of the few large-scale full-ion accelerating systems in the world, which can accelerate all ions (from hydrogen to uranium) to high energy. It is mainly composed of a superconducting ECR ion source, a Sector Focused Cyclotron (SFC), a Sector-Separated Cyclotron (SSC), a Cooler-Storage main Ring (CSRm) and a Cooler-Storage experimental Ring (CSRe) of the newly-built synchrotron (CSR), two radioactive beam lines (RIBLL1 & RIBLL2), and some experimental devices, etc. It is used to conduct researches in heavy ion physics and the interdisciplinary subjects.
The SFC is the upgrated one of the 1.5 meter classical cyclotron constructed in the early 1960s, and it can be used separately to perform low energy heavy ion researches in China.
In December 1988, Lanzhou Heavy Ion Accelerating System (SFC+SSC), designed and constructed by the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (IMP), was completed and put into operation. In August 1991, the National Laboratory of Heavy Ion Accelerator of Lanzhou was approved by the State Planning Committee and opened to public.
At present, HIRFL is running more than 7000 hours every year, providing more than 4000 hours for experiments. Now, there are 20 experimental terminals running of HIRFL.Please read the terminals introductions for more informations .