Large Research Facilities

PSI develops, builds and operates complex large research facilities. PSI has the world's most powerful muon source, a unique proton and neutron source, an synchrotron of international importance and one of only five X-ray free-electron lasers with hard X-rays in the world. Scientists from all over the world use PSI's large research facilities for their scientific investigations. They are also available to Swiss research and industry for their experiments.

2019: Regular operation of the large research facility SwissFEL

Swiss X-ray free-electron laser SwissFEL

The latest large research facility at PSI generates very short pulses of X-ray light with laser-like properties. This enables researchers to observe extremely fast processes, such as how new molecules are created in a chemical reaction; to determine the detailed structure of vital proteins; or to determine the exact structure in materials. The insights gained in this way expand our understanding of nature and lead to practical applications, for instance new pharmaceuticals, more efficient processes in the chemical industry, or new materials for electronics.

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SLS

Swiss Light Source SLS

Synchrotron light is a particularly intense form of light, with characteristics that can be precisely adapted to the requirements of an experiment. Scientists use synchrotron light to determine the detailed structure or the magnetic properties of various materials. Among the materials investigated with synchrotron light are magnetic materials such as those used in modern magnetic memories or protein molecules that play a crucial roles for many processes in living organisms. At PSI, synchrotron light is produced at the Swiss Light Source (SLS), where it is emitted by electrons travelling at almost the speed of light on a circular path of 288m in circumference. Strong magnets are used to keep them on this path.

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Chrisp

Swiss research infrastructure for particle physics CHRISP

With the help of CHRISP, researchers are using the internationally most powerful source of ultracold neutrons to investigate how our universe is structured. They determine, for example, fundamental natural constants with the highest precision and search for deviations in the current standard model of particle physics. They also develop and test detectors for experiments at PSI, for space missions and for the European research centre CERN in Geneva.

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Tall and slim and still very shiny for its 30 years, the Cockcroft-Walton is the first stage in the proton facility. (Photo: Paul Scherrer Institute/Markus Fischer)

PSI proton accelerator

The neutrons and muons used in experiments at PSI are generated by collision of a beam of very fast protons with a special target – made of lead in the case of the SINQ neutron source and of carbon in the case of the SμS muon source. The protons used have been accelerated to a speed of approximately 80 % of the speed of light by PSI's proton accelerator facility. This facility came into operation in 1974 and was originally used for experiments in the area of elementary particle physics. Nowadays, it generates the most intense beam of protons in the world.

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