World’s largest X-ray laser XFEL generates first light
08 May 2017
The world's largest X-ray laser has generated its first beam of light, with which scientists hope to be able to study new materials and drugs and chemical reactions at the atomic level.
The 3.4-kilometre-long European XFEL, which mostly runs in underground tunnels in Germany, is expected to usher in a new era of European research, say scientists.
The X-ray light has a wavelength of 0.8 nanometre - about 500 times shorter than that of visible light. The repetition rate at the first lasing, was one pulse per second, it will later be increased to 27,000 per second.
The achievable laser light wavelength corresponds to the size of an atom, which meant the X-rays could be used to make pictures and films of the nano-cosmos at atomic resolution - such as of biomolecules. This would help better understand of the basis of illnesses and help development of new therapies.
"This is an important moment that our partners and we have worked towards for many years. The European XFEL has generated its first X-ray laser light," said Robert Feidenhans'l, managing director of the European XFEL, PTI reported.
"The facility, to which many countries around the world contributed know-how and components, has passed its first big test with flying colours," said Feidenhans'l.
When compared to standard synchrotron light sources, the X-ray laser light of the European XFEL was of extremely high intensity. It was also a billion times brighter. This offered opportunities for conducting research into diverse fields of scientific study, including catalytic techniques and chemical processes aimed at enhancing their efficiency or making them more environmentally friendly, investigation of conditions similar to the interior of planets, and materials research.
The X-ray laser light of the European XFEL was produced from an electron beam in the superconducting linear accelerator, which is the vital component of the X-ray laser. The accelerator was commissioned by the German research centre, DESY, the largest shareholder of the European XFEL and became operational end April.