PSI Center for Photon Science Mission

The mission of the Paul Scherrer Institute’s Center for Photon Science (CPS) is to develop, provide, and exploit accelerator-based photons for science, technology, and medicine, for which it develops and operates two accelerator-based user facilities: the Swiss Light Source (SLS) and the Swiss Hard X-ray Free Electron Laser (SwissFEL), as well as the Park Innovaare Cleanroom for Optics and Innovation (PICO). Access to the SLS and SwissFEL is granted to external users based on scientific excellence as determined by a peer review process. 

The focus of the CPS members is to develop new methods, to build new instrumentation, to perform cutting edge science and to provide excellent support to the international user community. 

Researchers at CPS are engaged in a wide range of research activities, taking advantage of the large-scale facilities, complemented by laboratory-based techniques including laser laboratories and sample growth facilities, and a recent expansion into quantum technologies. The activities of CPS are organized in seven laboratories:

• The Laboratory for Macromolecules and Bioimaging (LSB) provides state‑of‑the‑art X‑ray imaging at different length scales for materials and life science. The laboratory consists of seven groups operating six beamlines at SLS and one endstation at the SwissFEL. In addition, they focus on developing data analysis and operate a crystallization facility.
• The Laboratory for Condensed Matter (LSC) focus is on materials with new, functional properties. The laboratory is comprised of seven groups operating five beamlines at the SLS and one at the SwissFEL. In addition, they provide general support for the SLS and SwissFEL for source development and instrumentation.
• The Laboratory for X-ray Nanoscience and Technologies (LXN) is engaged in a wide range of research activities, encompassing fundamental research in nanoscience and the development of new methods and instrumentation in collaboration with the CPS laboratories. It operates two beamlines at the SLS and one beamline at SwissFEL in addition to the instrumentation programs on X-ray detectors and diffractive optics.
• The Laboratory for Femtochemistry (LSF) applies X-ray based tools to study chemical processes with high spatial and temporal resolution. It consists of six groups, exploiting the spectral domain from vacuum ultraviolet light to hard X-rays, and one young investigator group. It operates five beamlines at SLS and two endstations at SwissFEL.
• The Laboratory for Advanced Spectroscopy and X-ray Sources (LSX) is centered on the exploration of electronic properties and ultra-fast dynamics in the domains of condensed matter and quantum materials science using advanced X-ray sources at synchrotrons like the SLS and SwissFEL. It operates two beamlines at SLS and one endstation at SwissFEL.
• The Laboratory for Non-linear Optics (LNO) is focused on methods, instrumentation and experimental applications in ultrafast optical and X-ray laser science. LNO also serves key functions in support of SLS and SwissFEL.
• The Laboratory for Nano and Quantum Technologies (LNQ) is responsible for the operation of two facilities: the Park Innovaare Cleanroom for Optics and Innovation (PICO) as well as the ETH Zurich-PSI Quantum Computing Hub.

The Center is comprised of approximately 300 scientists and technicians, including around 45 postdoctoral researchers and 40 PhD students. Several scientists of CPS have a dual affiliation with the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETHZ), or with one of the Swiss universities.