Previous Editions__________________________________________________________________________SSRL Headlines Vol. 12, No. 1 July, 2011__________________________________________________________________________
Contents of this Issue:
This summer started with a series of
six scientific workshops aimed at exploring the scientific case for an
"ultimate light source" with higher brightness and smaller emittance than
current synchrotrons can offer. Many scientific staff members from across SLAC
participated in these workshops, which were co-organized by SSRL, Japan's KEK,
Germany's DESY and Cornell University, and we are now working to further
develop the promising directions identified there.
This effort is accompanied by the design of a
PEP-X lattice, a Laboratory
Directed Research and Development project led by the Accelerator
Directorate's beam physics group. The latest design is very promising,
showing that it is possible to realize an ultimate storage ring in SLAC's
existing 2.2 kilometer PEP tunnel-a significantly greater reduction in the
size of the accelerator than previously thought obtainable. It is this kind
of close interaction
between science goals and accelerator designers that makes SLAC unique and the
laboratory's future very exciting.
Until such an ultimate ring can become a reality, we are working hard to keep
SSRL at the forefront of today's synchrotron light sources. We recently
commissioned a new high-resolution energy-dispersive x-ray spectrometer, a
joint project between the Linac Coherent Light Source, SSRL and Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory. Designed for time-resolved spectroscopic
experiments - such as the process by which electrons are transferred in
photosynthesis systems - it will be used at LCLS to view ultra-fast time scale
dynamics and at SSRL to view dynamics on the longer time scale. SSRL is also
working on the ability to provide x-rays with few picosecond pulse length, a
factor of ten shorter than the normal synchrotron pulse length, to the user
community. We believe these efforts will maximize the synergy between SSRL and
LCLS and enable new science at both facilities.
As we work to enhance the capabilities available at SSRL, we're also working to
increase the number and diversity of researchers who have access to our
facility. This month, SSRL along with Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light
Source and Berkeley Lab's Advanced Light Source the 5th annual workshop of INCREASE, the
Interdisciplinary Consortium for Research and
Educational Access in Science and Engineering, to encourage minority scientists
to take advantage of Department of Energy research facilities. The event was
successful at broadening the light-source community - I know of at least two
proposals for SSRL beam time nearing completion, and I am sure there are many
others in the works for facilities around the country. Similarly, in June SLAC
hosted the annual National User Facility Organization (NUFO) meeting, which
focused on communicating the benefits of publicly funded national user
facilities more effectively to the public, lawmakers and funding agencies.
This is a crucial task for user facilities and I was pleased that more than 100
people from the light-source community came together for this meeting.
This is an exciting time for all of us. The past few months have been very busy
for the SSRL community - in a good way - and as we prepare for the start of the
FY2012 run in November, we look forward to welcoming new users and new research
opportunities.
—Chi-Chang Kao
To combat these difficulties, two recent studies conducted at SSRL Beam Line
6-2 used a combination of techniques, together termed X-ray Absorption
Near-Edge Structure (XANES) Microscopy, to study lithium-ion batteries. XANES
Microscopy, with its ability to combine spatial and energy resolution over
large areas with fast acquisition, is likely to benefit not only the field of
energy storage, but also fields ranging from biomaterials to archaeology.
The first of the two studies, led by Wilson Chiu from the University of
Connecticut, obtained nanoscale spatial information about materials found in
lithium-ion battery electrodes. The second study, led by Fondazione Bruno
Kessler's Florian Meirer and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Jordi
Cabana, looked at the battery electrodes themselves. The studies provided 2D
and 3D chemical information about the changes taking place in the electrodes,
revealing the location of nickel and nickel oxide. By correlating this with
changes in the morphology and porosity of the cathode, this work provides a new
perspective on lithium-ion battery electrodes that could direct new design
strategies for the next generation of batteries.
These studies were published in Applied Physics Letters and the
Journal of Synchrotron Radiation, respectively.
To learn more about this research see the full scientific highlight
In a study recently published in Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences, Stanford University Graduate Student Ming Yi and SSRL Material
Sciences Division Scientist Donghui Lu, along with several Stanford University
colleagues, performed experiments at SSRL Beam Line 5-4 and Advanced Light
Source Beam Line 10 to study the electronic structure of a family of iron
pnictides, Ba[Fe1-xCox]2As2.
These, the first such measurements on "detwinned" single crystals in which the
intrinsic twin structures are forced to align under uniaxial mechanical stress,
revealed an unexpected rotational symmetry breaking in the orbital degree of
freedom. This symmetry lowering process can be thought of as similar to a
square changing to a rectangle. This finding is especially interesting as other
experiments have found similar symmetry breaking in cuprates, suggesting that
perhaps such symmetry breaking is critical to high temperature
superconductivity.
To learn more about this research see the full
scientific highlight
A crucial part of the research for developing this new drug, called
vemurafenib, took place at three Department of Energy national laboratories:
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory and Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory. A Berkeley-based drug-discovery company,
Plexxikon, used the labs' powerful x-ray facilities to determine the precise
structure of a mutated protein involved in this cancer - and potential drug
candidates that could stop its spread.
Read more in the SLAC
News Center.
SLAC WELCOMES 5TH ANNUAL INCREASE WORKSHOP. A workshop aimed at
encouraging minority scientists to take advantage of Department of Energy
research facilities drew nearly 30 scientists from historically black and
Hispanic-serving colleges and universities to SLAC on July 11 and 12. The
occasion was the 5th annual workshop of INCREASE, the Interdisciplinary
Consortium for Research and Educational Access in Science and Engineering.
Participants got acquainted with SLAC and its research programs and learned how
to create scientific collaborations and successful proposals for beam time at
facilities such as SSRL and the Linac Coherent Light Source. Learn more.
ENERGY, ENTHUSIASM, COOPERATION AND COMMITMENT CHARACTERIZE NUFO ANNUAL
MEETING. More than 100 attendees of the National User Facility Organization
annual meeting, held at SLAC on June 27-29, explored topics ranging from best
practices, to various forms of outreach, to effective communication with
universities and other organizations representing users, user facilities, and
science in general. Learn more...
11TH INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY OF MAGNETIC
SOLIDS, October 21-22. The 2011 X-ray Spectroscopy of Magnetic Solids
(XRMS) meeting will take place October 21-22 at SLAC. These annual meetings
have proved as a fruitful forum for informal discussion of recent results and
future projects of synchrotron radiation based research on magnetism and
magnetic materials. They also serve for the formation of new collaborations.
Learn more on the XRMS website.
ANNUAL USERS' CONFERENCE, October 24-26 - Plans are underway for the
Annual SSRL/LCLS Users' Meeting and Workshops, October 24-26, 2011. Mark your
calendar and plan to participate to learn about new developments and share
exciting user research at both LCLS and SSRL. It is also a great time to
interact with other scientists, potential colleagues, and vendors of light
source-related products and services. Check back later for more details and
registration. The draft program and registration details will be posted
shortly. You can also reserve lodging for the meeting by contacting the
Stanford Guest
House. Specify SSRL/LCLS/SLAC to take advantage of discounted
rates.
Please take a few moments to consider nominating your colleagues or students
for the annual Lytle Award, which will be presented at the joint SSRL and LCLS
Users' Meeting, October 24-26. Given annually since 1998, the award recognizes
technical or scientific achievements in synchrotron radiation-based science as
well as efforts to promote collaboration and efficiency at SSRL.
Last year's Lytle Award winner, Sam Webb, received the honor for his
exceptional skills and motivation, dedication to technical and software
developments, remarkable commitment to the user community, positive attitude
and generous personality. In all, Webb helps users to achieve a satisfying and
productive scientific experience at SSRL's micro-imaging spectroscopy beam
lines.
Submit your 2011 nominations to Cathy Knotts (knotts@slac.stanford.edu) by
August 15. Learn more
on the Lytle Award website.
Our 2011 experimental run ended on July 25. After the summer shutdown,
operations will resume the week of November 13, 3011. The preliminary 2012
operating schedule is now online.
SSRL BEAM TIME REQUEST DEADLINES. Proposal spokespersons or their
authorized lead contacts can submit new beam time requests for the first
scheduling period in our 2012 experimental run (November 2011 - February 2012)
by September 1. Requests for time on Macromolecular Crystallography (PX) time
are due September 15. Request beam time via the user portal.
SUBMIT NEW SSRL PROPOSALS BY SEPTEMBER 1 OR DECEMBER 1. New proposals
can be submitted three times a year: June 1, September 1, and December 1 for
x-ray/VUV and April 1, July 1, and December 1 for Macromolecular
Crystallography (PX). X-ray/VUV proposals submitted by September 1 will be peer
reviewed, rated and eligible for beam time beginning in February 2011. Both
X-ray/VUV and PX proposals should be submitted via the user portal.
Proposals that were submitted before June 1 (X-ray/VUV) and July 1 (PX) are
currently under review. Ratings for these proposals should be distributed
within the next few weeks.
COMPLETE END OF RUN SURVEY. Comments about your experience at SSRL are
extremely important to us, and we need your feedback to meet our mission
requirements, including assessment and reporting. If you haven't already done
so, please submit an End of Run Summary Form through the user portal.
INFORM US OF PUBLICATIONS. After data have been collected, analyzed and
prepared for publication, please inform us and acknowledge the user facility
and funding agencies in your publications using the formats posted on the
SSRL website.
We strongly encourage you to contact us via phone or email when
especially exciting results are about to be published. We can work with users
and the SLAC Office of Communication to develop a press release and to
communicate user research findings to a broader audience.
Researchers
Decipher Protein Structure of Key Molecule in DNA Transcription System
An
Ultra-bright Future: UD Grad Students Benefit from Research at National
Laboratories
10 Questions
for a Physicist: Uwe Bergmann
In
TEDx Talk, SLAC Scientist Shares Idea worth Spreading Scientists
Close to Finding Colors of Fossil Birds
__________________________________________________________________________
SSRL Headlines is published electronically monthly to inform SSRL users,
sponsors and other interested people about happenings at SSRL. SSRL is a
national synchrotron user facility operated by Stanford University for the
U.S. Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy
Sciences. Additional support for
the structural biology program is provided by
the DOE
Office of Biological and Environmental Research, the NIH
National Center for Research Resources and the NIH National Institute of General Medical
Sciences. Additional information about
SSRL and its operation and schedules is available from the SSRL WWW
site.
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