30 cm Bubble Chamber (CERN)

Charged particles create an ionization track, around which the liquid vaporizes, forming microscopic bubbles.

Following the discovery of strange particles in cosmic-ray showers and the evidence of a large spectrum of heavy mesons,[1] Charles Peyrou [de] started the construction of a liquid hydrogen bubble chamber.

Experience acquired during the prototype phase enabled the team to build the 30 cm bubble chamber.

The chamber was cylindrical, with a total volume of 12.5 litres, a piston to control expansion, and a coil generating a 1.5 T magnetic field.

[1] The photographs obtained proved the exceptional quality of the 30 cm bubble chamber despite its small dimensions.