Case Study: CERN achieves faster, safer antimatter research with National Instruments LabVIEW

NI LabVIEW Empowers Scientific Research at CERN's Antimatter Lab

CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, faced a significant challenge in its AEgIS antimatter experiment, which required nanosecond-precise coordination of hundreds of devices. Manual control was labor-intensive, error-prone, and limited researchers' ability to focus on data analysis. To address this, they worked with National Instruments and implemented an advanced automation system built using the NI LabVIEW platform.

The solution from National Instruments, named CIRCUS with its TALOS framework, automated experimental sequences with a robust, distributed control architecture. This LabVIEW-based system cut data-taking time by 18 percent, increased antimatter trapping efficiency by more than 100%, and enhanced safety, enabling 24/7 unsupervised operations. The automation also enabled new scientific breakthroughs, such as the world-first laser cooling of positronium.

CERN

Marco Volponi

Senior Research Fellow