Scientific Highlights and News
The upgrade of the SLS to a diffraction-limited storage ring (DLSR) will benefit in particular those experimental techniques that exploit coherence and/or beam collimation and tight focussing. The increased coherent fraction, of the order of several percent in the hard x-ray regime, will greatly enhance phase-contrast tomography and lensless-imaging techniques such as ptychography; the ability to focus down to micron dimensions while maintaining excellent collimation will allow the investigation of proteins that only form micro- and nanocrystals, most notably membrane proteins and G-coupled protein receptors (GCPRs). The below articles contain recent news and examples, all performed at the SLS, which have been selected as representatives of some of the clearest scientific drivers for the upgrade of the SLS; such experiments at SLS 2.0 will be able to be performed either much more rapidly, or with significantly greater spatial resolution.
SLS 2.0: “Dark time” during the upgrade
The SLS is shutting down temporarily as it undergoes a major upgrade.
A metal alloy like a sponge
Once the vacuum chambers for the SLS 2.0 upgrade are the right shape, they still need a special surface coating.
A six-metre high oven
The most complicated vacuum chambers for the SLS 2.0 upgrade are being built in the PSI workshop.
500 vacuum chambers for the new ring
Making the tube through which the electrons will race after the SLS 2.0 upgrade.
On-track for SLS2.0: First magnet series measured
Successful measurement of the first 112 magnets puts the PSI magnet section on-schedule to measure all of the 1000+ magnets needed for SLS2.0 by July 2024.
Faster and smarter
PSI is pooling its expertise regarding the evaluation of research data in the new research division Scientific Computing, Theory and Data.
3D view: Swiss Light Source SLS
Linear accelerator, booster ring, storage ring: our 3D graphic of the Swiss Light Source shows the inside of the facility and how it serves research.
SLS: The new crane comes from above
The Swiss Light Source SLS is getting a second hall crane. But how can the 42-metre-long, 40-tonne monster get into the building? The only way is from above.
A "magical" power with major impact
Microrobots, materials with shape memory, and better particle accelerators are made possible through the exploration of magnetism at PSI.