X-ray science

With a suite of reimagined instruments, researchers take up scientific inquiries that were out of reach just one year ago. 

These observations are a crucial step toward truly understanding chemical processes.

The team unexpectedly formed gold hydride in an experiment that could pave the way for studying materials under extreme conditions like those found inside certain planets and stars undergoing nuclear fusion.

Results obtained with SLAC’s X-ray laser show how tiny magnetic coils can align over a surprisingly broad timescale, inspiring new ideas for microelectronics. 

Researchers used the upgraded LCLS to better understand what makes Xanthone – a powerful photocatalyst used in cancer therapies –  so efficient.  

Now 10,000 times brighter and thousands of times faster, LCLS sheds light on the formation of free radicals in nature. 

The upgrades to SSRL’s resonant soft X-ray scattering beam line could reveal the hidden physics in high-temperature superconductors.

SLAC researchers drew on advanced computation and X-ray methods to track down a water-splitting copper catalyst.

The team watched how a strained strontium titanate membrane crossed into ferroelectric – and quantum – territory. 

Using SLAC’s X-ray laser, the method revealed atomic motions in a simple catalyst, opening the door to study more complex molecules key to chemical processes in industry and nature.

Advanced imaging technique reveals catalyst degradation processes, addressing a key barrier to converting carbon dioxide into liquid fuel.

The new findings highlight the need for ongoing monitoring of H5N1’s evolution in nature.