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X-ray studies at SLAC facilities help scientists understand the fundamental workings of nature by probing matter in atomic detail.

atoms forming a tentative bond

News Feature

To invent a new tool for studying how chemicals react at interfaces, researchers shoot tiny jets of oil and water at each other and...

Rainbow colors in a sheet of layered liquids
News Feature

A machine learning algorithm automatically extracts information to speed up – and extend – the study of materials with X-ray pulse pairs.

A pattern of red and yellow dots surrounded by a ring of blue dots on a black background.
News Feature

The award celebrates Huang’s achievements studying atom-scale physics with fast X-ray pulses.

Yijing Huang at Stanford University
News Brief

His work has led to new treatments for advanced lung cancer and a better understanding of dangerous parasites.

Blaine Mooers
News Feature

Encapsulating precious-metal catalysts in a web-like alumina framework could reduce the amount needed in catalytic converters – and our dependency on these scarce metals.

A web of red material encapsulates blue polyhedrons.
Illustration

Studies of atomic-level processes that drain battery life and efficiency help improve battery performance. 

Studies of atomic-level processes that drain battery life and efficiency help improve battery performance.
Illustration
When light drives electron transfer in a molecular complex, the surrounding solvent molecules also rapidly move.
When light drives electron transfer in a molecular complex, the surrounding solvent molecules also rapidly move.
Illustration

At LCLS, crystallized ribosomes travel through a capillary into the interaction region, where they are zapped with a beam of X-rays.

At LCLS, crystallized ribosomes travel through a capillary into the interaction region, where they are zapped with a beam of X-rays.
Illustration

Scientists use a series of magnets to transform an electron bunch into a narrow current spike which then produces a very intense attosecond X-ray...

XLEAP illustration
Illustration

By detecting minute traces of original pigments in fossils, X-ray imaging at synchrotrons has given scientists the chemical evidence needed to discover the actual...

X-ray imaging at synchrotrons has given scientists the chemical evidence needed to discover the actual colors of ancient life forms.
Illustration

The ultrafast, ultrabright X-ray pulses of the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) have enabled unprecedented views of a catalyst in action, an important step...

Nilsson science cover
Photograph
Undulator Hall with soft X-ray undulators to the left and hard-X-ray undulators to the right.   Details
Empty undulator hall