SSRL utilizes x-rays produced by its accelerator, the Stanford Positron Electron Asymmetric Ring (SPEAR3). Based on a 2004 upgrade funded by the Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, SPEAR3 is a 3-GeV, high-brightness third generation storage ring operating with high reliability and low emittance. SSRL runs with 500 mA in top-off mode, during which the beam current is kept constant with injection of electrons into the ring every five minutes.
State-of-the-Art Experimental Facilities
SSRL offers more than 30 experimental stations, supporting a variety of techniques including: macromolecular crystallography, soft and hard x-ray microscopy, microXAS imaging, x-ray scattering and diffraction, photoemission spectroscopy and x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopies.
SPEAR3 Status
SPEAR3: Always Improving
SSRL is continually working to improve SPEAR3 to keep SSRL competitive with synchrotron light sources around the world. The current planned improvements include:
- Accelerator performance improvements, including improvements in beam quality (brightness, stability and optimization for timing mode experiments) injector enhancements to increase the range of injection options
- Accelerator reliability improvements along with improvements in spare availability
- Accelerator research and development that prioritizes future accelerator performance upgrades
- Next generation synchrotron light source
