Experiments at SwissFEL

SwissFEL is a user facility. It constructs and operates experimental facilities using synchrotron radiation for research by national and international users. The SwissFEL also supports in-house research and development of instruments and methods.

Experiments are grouped into two classes, depending on how the results of the measurements are treated.

Non-proprietary (academic) experiments

These are those experiments which are published in proper time in the standard scientific journals of the respective scientific community.

Beamtime is allocated on the basis of proposals which are reviewed by an international committee. The selection of proposals is solely based on scientific merit. For these experiments, access to the SwissFEL beamlines is free according to international standards.

Users supporting SwissFEL in the development of beamlines or instrumentation through their own resources negotiate special conditions which are detailed in a contract between PSI and such users.

Proprietary experiments

Experiments of this type are intended to be kept confidential and their results not published. As the PSI is a government facility, in this case, PSI offers these services for proprietary research on a full cost recovery basis.