After another busy shutdown, the ALS is in the process of returning to user operation later this week. The ALS-U accomplishments of the Winter 2025 shutdown include the accumulator ring installation sectors 1-11, seismic upgrades, ALS-U cable routing and electrical installation, RF infrastructure installation, and the booster bend power supply commissioning. In addition, the teams were able to complete several projects for the current ALS. Read more »
ALS-United: Steve Rossi, Daniela Leitner, and Andrew Netto
ALS-United is an opportunity to meet the people collaborating at the Advanced Light Source and the ALS Upgrade Project. Hear firsthand how team science enables the cutting-edge research of today and builds the facility of the future. This month, we speak with Steve Rossi (ALS Deputy for Business Operations), Andrew Netto (ALS-U Deputy for Operations), and Daniela Leitner (Engineering Division Director). Read more »
The Secret to Drought Tolerance Lies in a Lilac Crypt
Many species of California lilac grow throughout the state, north to Humboldt and south to San Diego. Some species have developed an adaptation for arid climates: the stomatal crypt. This extremely rare anatomy intrigued a group of researchers, who characterized species with these crypts at the ALS. Their microtomography characterization revealed how the stomatal crypt helps plants survive drought. Read more »
ALS Computing Group Shapes the Future of Accelerator UI/UX
This February, SLAC hosted the first Particle Accelerator UX Workshop, uniting developers and designers to standardize UI/UX best practices. The ALS Computing Group led with various other lab participants creating a website to guide labs. Launch is planned for November 2025. Read more »
Energy-Saving, Acid-Free, Hard-Rock Lithium Extraction
Researchers used in situ x-ray diffraction to develop a direct, more energy-efficient, and cheaper way to extract lithium from its source mineral, spodumene. The approach not only promises to reduce energy consumption and processing costs but also supports the sustainable scaling of lithium production to meet growing market needs. Read more »
Apply by April 4 for ALS Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships
Applications will be accepted from mid-March–April 4 for ALS Doctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships that begin September 1, 2025. Fellows spend a year in residence at the ALS conducting research and instrumentation development in collaboration with their home institution. Read more »
Taimoor Hassan, ALS and ALS-U Electrical Safety Officer
In the eight months that Taimoor Hassan has been with the ALS and ALS-U, he has been able to apply his background in electrical safety, engineering, and RF systems. Learn more about the giant microwave he worked on in a previous job, and how all of his experience serves the interconnected work of the ALS and ALS-U. Read more »
Mind-Blowing Materials: Mimicking Neurons for Faster Computing
Researchers used x-ray absorption spectroscopy and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering at the ALS to uncover the atomic-level mechanism of conductance switching for a neuromorphic material that has the potential for energy-efficient computing. Read more »
Berkeley Lab Helps Explore Mysteries of Asteroid Bennu
The Advanced Light Source and Molecular Foundry provided powerful tools to study asteroid samples returned by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission to the asteroid Bennu. Researchers found a telltale set of salts formed by evaporation that illuminate Bennu’s watery past. Read more »
Autonomous Beamlines: Harnessing Bayesian Optimization to Revolutionize Accelerator Science
Scientists at the Advanced Light Source are developing automated beam optimization systems, collaborating with other light sources to deploy common controls across facilities. Using machine learning, they demonstrated automated beamline alignment that optimizes beam size and flux at the push of a button. Read more »
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