US-UK Showcase | PIP-II
27 Feb 2026
Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, located 40 miles west of Chicago, Illinois, is America’s particle physics and accelerator research...
PIP-II: Powering the Future of Neutrino Science
The Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) is a project hosted by Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, a US Department of Energy national laboratory located 40 miles west of Chicago, Illinois. The project’s goal is to build a new superconducting linear accelerator to advance neutrino science.
Once completed, PIP-II will result in an 800-MeV superconducting radio-frequency linac that will deliver more than one megawatt of beam power — an increase of approximately 60% of current capability.
PIP-II is critical to the success of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), an international megascience experiment that will be housed at the Long-Baseline Neutrino Facility (LBNF), currently under construction in Illinois and South Dakota.
PIP-II is a model for how Fermilab pursues collaboration: it is the first particle accelerator on US soil built with significant in-kind contributions from international partners, including cryomodules from the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council and additional components from partners across Europe and Asia.
Knowledge transfer from Fermilab to STF
The opportunity to build and test components for PIP-II has multiplying effects for international collaborators, who gain expertise in accelerator technology that can be applied in their home countries, including the UK.
Scientists and engineers are advancing superconducting accelerator technology through PIP-II, not only for fundamental research but also for industrial, medical, environmental, computing and national‑security applications. At STFC Daresbury Laboratory, experts are constructing three 10‑metre cryomodules for PIP‑II, each housing six superconducting RF cavities. The lab has been upgraded with specialised facilities; including a cavity test bunker, high‑pressure rinse and clean rooms to support this work.
STFC has established new specifications and procedures to ensure full compliance in preparing and assembling all PIP‑II cryomodule sub-systems. By aligning established project‑delivery methodologies with Fermilab’s practices, we have strengthened international collaboration and enhanced STFC’s technical capability. These investments now enable teams at Daresbury to conduct superconducting RF cavity and cryomodule preparation and qualification processes not previously possible in the UK.
UK industry capability building
Through close collaboration with leading UK industry partners; including The Welding Institute, Shakespeare Engineering and the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Centre, STFC has established the UK’s first manufacturing capability for superconducting accelerating structures.
This pioneering effort has enabled the UK to master the forming, precision machining and electron‑beam welding of extremely high‑purity niobium, a material essential for next‑generation accelerator technologies. Leveraging STFC’s expertise, we ensured each structure achieves and maintains its required operating frequency, while our partners at Fermilab provide the specialist preparation and qualification processes that confirm the device’s exceptional performance.
Together, these achievements mark the successful demonstration of the very first superconducting accelerating structure manufactured in the UK.
Early career development
Since 2022, the Advancing Scholars in Physics and Innovative Research in Engineering (ASPIRE) Fellowship has invited undergraduate and graduate engineering students to participate in a paid immersive learning experiences to design and develop PIP-II and other world-leading particle accelerators at Fermilab. Under the guidance of an assigned mentor, ASPIRE Fellows acquire in-demand accelerator engineering skills that inform their future careers. 12 students have completed ASPIRE Fellowship to date, with two retained as full-time employees. At Daresbury Laboratory, 5 graduates and 40 apprentices have also been trained in key aspects of the PIP-II project.
Early career development is a core priority across STFC, reflecting our commitment to cultivating the skills and expertise essential for future innovation. STFC’s apprenticeship programme plays a vital role in developing the next generation of scientific and technical talent. Our apprentices, graduates and technicians are central to the success of our accelerator delivery programmes, including PIP-II, in helping to build a sustained capability that underpins the long‑term scientific and technological ambitions of STFC, UKRI and the wider UK.
