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SwissFEL Cristallina

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SwissFEL Cristallina Experimental Station

Cristallina HR

Cristallina is the third experimental station of the SwissFEL ARAMIS hard X-ray beamline. It serves both quantum science (Cristallina-Q) and structural biology (Cristallina-MX), enabling the imaging of quantum many-body states under extreme conditions and serial femtosecond protein crystallography, respectively.

The Cristallina beamline is designed to operate at photon energies above 2.7 keV, and optimized to deliver highly focused, sub-femtosecond X-ray pulses. The X-ray capabilities will be uniquely complemented by offline experiment preparation areas in the experimental hutch. The day-one instrumentation will include a setup for fixed-target protein crystallography (Cristallina-MX instrument), as well as two setups installed on two diffractometers that provide high-field and low-temperature capabilities (Cristallina-Q instruments). The concept of operation foresees the shuffling of the instruments to and from the X-ray beam by the use of airpads sliding over a large granite floor.

The efforts are supported on one hand by the Macromolecular Crystallography (MX) group, and on the other by the Quantum Photon Science (QPS) group in strong collaboration with the Laboratory for Quantum Matter Research (LQMR) of Prof. Johan Chang at the University of Zurich (UZH). The latter consortium is partially funded by UZH, SNSF and PSI via the R’Equip scheme.

Cristallina is currently under realization. Commissioning of the beamline and of the scientific instruments, as well as, pilot user experiments is planned until 2024.


News and Highlights

2 September 2022
CH-F Pulsed Magnet Retreat

Swiss-French Pulsed Magnetic Field Retreat

The Cristallina-Q team has welcomed French high-field experts at SwissFEL for an informal 2-day retreat. The ten participants  discussed which technical capabilities of the UZH-PSI pulsed magnet setup should be further developed and which science cases targeted in the upcoming commissioning and pilot experiment phase.

Read more
14 March 2022
Cristallina 1st light

SwissFEL Cristallina "first light" milestone achieved

First X-rays have reached the SwissFEL Cristallina experimental station on 14.03.2021 which is one day ahead of schedule. The achievement of this important milestone marks the beginning of the commissioning phase of the Cristallina project.

Read more
8 June 2020
Cryo Stand

Diffractometer stand built in collaboration with local SME

A light-weight, low-vibration diffractometer stand has been designed and produced in close collaboration with the local supplier Heinz Baumgartner AG. This component will be used in conjunction with a cryomagnet system to study quantum matter at the SwissFEL Bernina and Cristallina-Q endstations.

Read more

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Cristallina Project & Beamline

Bill Pedrini

Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 3371
Telefax: +41 56 310 2646
E-mail: bill.pedrini@psi.ch

Cristallina-Q

Simon Gerber

Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 3965
Telefax: +41 56 310 2646
E-mail: simon.gerber@psi.ch

Cristallina-MX

John H. Beale

Laboratory for Macromolecules 
and Bioimaging

Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland

Telephone: +41 56 310 4715
E-mail: john.beale@psi.ch

Photon Science Division

Homepage of PSI Division Photon Science (PSD)


SwissFEL

The new X-ray free electron laser facility.



Quantum Photon Science Group
Fundamentals and concepts for novel quantum devices
 


Macromolecular Crystallography Group
 
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