European XFEL starts operation of its third light source,exactly ayear after the first X-ray light was generated in the European XFEL tunnels.The third light source will provide light for the MID(Materials Imaging and Dynamics)and HED(High Energy Density Science)instruments scheduled to start user operation in 2019.All three light sources,successfully run in parallel for the first time on the anniversary of European XFEL’s first light,will eventually provide X-rays for at least six instruments.At any one time,three of these six instruments can simultaneously receive X-ray beam for experiments.“The operation of the third light source,and the generation of light from all sources in parallel,are important steps towards our goal of achieving user operation on all six instruments”said European XFEL Managing Director Robert Feidenhans’l.“I congratulate and thank all those involved in this significant accomplishment.It was atremendous achievement to get all three light sources to generate light within the space of one year.”To generate flashes of X-ray light,electrons are first accelerated to near the speed of light before they are moved through long rows of magnets called undulators.The alternating magnetic fields of these magnets force the electrons on aslalom course,causing the electrons to emit light at each turn.Over the length of the undulator,the produced light interacts back on the electron bunch,thereby producing aparticularly intense light.This light accumulates into intensive X-ray flashes.This process is known as‘self-amplified spontaneous emission’,or SASE.European XFEL has three SASE light sources.The first one,SASE 1,taken into operation at the beginning of May 2017,provides intense X-ray light to the instruments SPB/SFX(Single Particles,Clusters and Biomolecules and Serial Femtosecond Crystallography)and FXE(Femtosecond X-ray Experiments),the first instruments available for experiments and operational since September 2017.The second light source,SASE 3,was successfully taken into operation in February 2018 and will provide light for the instruments SQS(Small Quantum Systems)and SCS(Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering),scheduled to start user operation in November 2018.SASE 1and SASE 3can be run simultaneously–high speed electrons first generate X-ray light in SASE 1,before being used asecond time to produce X-ray light of alonger wavelength in SASE 3.Now,exactly ayear after the first laser light was generated in the European XFEL tunnels,the third light source,SASE 2,is operational.SASE 2will generate X-ray light for the MID(Materials Imaging and Dynamics)and HED(High Energy Density Science)instruments scheduled to start user operation in 2019.The MID instrument will be used to,for example,understand how glass forms on an atomic level,and for the study of cells and viruses with arange of imaging techniques.The HED instrument will enable the investigation of matter under extreme conditions such as that inside exoplanets,and to investigate how solids react in high magnetic fields. 查看详细>>

On Saturday,under sunny spring skies,more than 2500 visitors attended European XFEL’s first Open Day on the campus in Schenefeld.Guests of all ages enjoyed adiverse and varied program of activities,talks,exhibitions and tours,giving an insight into the work,staff and community of the new research centre.Schleswig Holsteins Minister for Science Karin Prien,Schenefeld Mayor Christiane Küchenhof and European XFEL Managing Director Prof.Robert Feidenhans’l officially opened the event just after midday.“It’s great to see so much interest in our facility!”said Feidenhans’l.“We are very proud to be able to present our facility.More than 150 staff members of European XFEL,as well as our campus partners have worked really hard in preparation for this premiere.Seeing so much enthusiasm for science among people of all age groups is an additional boost for our work during the next few weeks and months.I thank all staff member and campus partners for their support that has made this day possible.”Later Hamburg’s second mayor and science minister Katharina Fegebank also visited the event and greeting the visitors.On the main stage Insa Backe moderated adiverse program of inspiring talks from European XFEL and DESY staff,soothing music,and exploding science shows from"Magic Andy".Away from the action and music,the Naturschutzbund Deutschland(NABU)offered visitors achance to sit back with acup of coffee in the spring sunshine while making seed bombs,enjoying the natural beauty of the campus and chat about the renaturation activities on site.Other collaboration partners included DESY,who set up acontrol room for the event enabling visitors to watch the European XFEL accelerators in action.The DESY technical services truck was also on show on site as was the local fire brigade who offered water shooting games. 查看详细>>

The second X-ray light source has successfully been taken into operation at European XFEL,the world’s largest X-ray laser located in the Hamburg metropolitan region.The X-ray light source SASE3 successfully produced X-ray laser light flashes in one of the underground tunnels.SASE3 will serve two experiment stations scheduled to begin user operation at the end of the year.Since the start of operation in September 2017,340 scientists from across the globe have already used the facility for their research.The successful start of operation of the new SASE 3source will enable the facility to increase the number of users further.European XFEL Managing Director Prof.Robert Feidenhans’l said:“The construction and commissioning of the new light source are complex processes,for which we and our DESY colleagues have been preparing intensely for these last weeks and months.We are very happy that the commissioning of this second light source SASE 3has also run so smoothly,and that both sources,SASE1 and SASE3,produce light simultaneously.For this Iwould like to thank all those involved,in particular the accelerator team from DESY.We continue to be on schedule to start operation at all four experiment stations currently under construction,beginning with the first two instruments in November.The remaining two will start operation at the beginning of 2019.This will increase our current capacity threefold by mid 2019.”The new X-ray light source SASE3 uses electrons that have first passed through the light source SASE1 where they have already produced laser light.SASE3 provides laser light that will provide X-ray light for the experiment stations SQS and SCS,which are currently under construction.The SQS instrument(Small Quantum Systems)is specialized for the study of fundamental processes such as how chemical bonds break in molecules,or what happens on the atomic level when materials absorb many photons at the same time.The SCS instrument(Spectroscopy and Coherent Scattering)will focus on the investigation of fast changes in material properties,such as within magnetic materials,materials that withstand extreme temperatures,superconducting materials,and also biological samples.The research at these two stations has relevance for basic research but also for the development of new materials in the fields of IT,medicine,energy research,and catalysts,among others.Dr.Winni Decking,responsible for the operation of the European XFEL accelerator at DESY,explained:“The first X-ray laser light at SASE3 is aspecial moment for the technicians,engineers,and scientists who,over many years,have contributed to the construction of the facility with great care and precision.The fact that we have achieved this milestone so soon after the first round of user operation also shows how well the operation teams from DESY and European XFEL work together.”The European XFEL X-ray laser light is extremely intense and million times brighter than current synchrotron light sources.With the European XFEL,up to 27 000 light flashes per second can be produced,making the facility unique worldwide.In order to accomplish this,the superconducting accelerator technology developed at DESY is used at European XFEL.The X-ray light flashes are produced in the tunnels from bunches of electrons that have been accelerated to nearly the speed of light and have alot of energy.These bunches are repeated regularly at extremely short time intervals.Up to 200m long magnetic structures,so-called undulator systems,send the accelerated electrons on atight slalom course.At every turn,the electron bunches send out X-ray light pulses that build on one another. 查看详细>>