Scientific Highlights

3d transition metals often exhibit a quenched orbital moment when in a solid state system. Therefore, the proposition of a large unquenched orbital moment for V in VI₃ caused some surprise and discussion in the scientific community. Experimental and theoretical works diverge on the fact of whether the orbital moment is quenched or not. In our work we have been able to give an answer this open issue, proposing also a model for the ground state of VI₃.

The thermal conditions during laser-based additive manufacturing are inferred from high-speed X-ray diffraction data and can be linked to a model for rapid solidification.

In high-temperature cuprate superconductors, stripe order refers broadly to a coupled spin and charge modulation with a commensuration of eight and four lattice units, respectively. How this stripe order evolves across optimal doping remains a controversial question. Here we present a systematic resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study of weak charge correlations in La_2−xSr_xCuO₄ and La_1.8−xEu_0.2Sr_xCuO₄. Ultra high energy resolution experiments demonstrate the importance of the separation of inelastic and elastic scattering processes.

Rare ferrimagnet states in a phase competing antiferromagnet.

Dr. Manuel Guizar-Sicairos, currently Senior Scientist at PSI, was appointed as Associate Professor of Physics in EPF Lausanne and head of the Computational X-ray Imaging group in PSI.

High-speed in situ X-ray diffraction is used to measure temperature profiles and cooling rates during 3D printing of a a Ti-6Al-4V single-track wall.

Dr. Manuel Guizar-Sicairos was elected as a 2022 SPIE Fellow Member for his contributions to coherent lensless imaging, including ptychography and X-ray nano-tomography. The distinction was awarded in the SPIE’s Optics & Photonics conference in San Diego, California.

In situ alloying is an effective method to engineer microstructures of additively manufactured Ti6Al4V3Fe alloys. 

Polyoxomolybdates have been directly synthesized from basic reagents in a mechanochemical one-pot reaction.

The reaction of elemental scandium and zirconium powders with liquid aluminum is observed directly via operando X-ray diffraction during laser 3D printing. This work demonstrates that elemental blends can be used to create fine-grained crack-free Al-alloys and highlights the importance of feature size.

Combining time-resolved soft X-ray STXM imaging with magnetic laminography, researchers were able to investigate magnetization dynamics in a ferromagnetic microstructure resolved in all three spatial dimensions and in time. Thanks to the possibility of freely selecting the frequency of the excitation applied to the magnetic element, this technique opens the possibility to investigate resonant magneto-dynamical processes, such as e.g. magnetic vortex core gyration and switching, and spinwave emission.

PSI hosted again the Hercules School in March 2022. We had the pleasure to welcome 20 international PhD students, PostDocs and scientists to demonstrate our state-of-the-art techniques and methodologies at our large scale facilities, the Swiss Light Source (SLS), the Swiss Spallation Neutron Source (SINQ) and our free electron laser SwissFEL.