Like a tiny needle in a sprawling hayfield, a single crystal grain measuring just tens of millionths of a meter— found in a borehole sample drilled in Central Siberia—had an unexpected chemical makeup. And a specialized x-ray technique in use at the ALS confirmed the sample’s uniqueness and paved the way for its formal recognition as a newly discovered mineral: ognitite. Read more »
All News & Updates
A Crackling Analysis of Stripe and Skyrmion Phases
Through statistical analysis of “crackling” (a system’s jerky response to slowly changing conditions), researchers demonstrated fundamental differences between skyrmion and stripe phases in a layered heterostructure. The method has broad applicability to many complex materials of interest for emerging information technologies. Read more »
Here Comes the Sun: A New Framework for Artificial Photosynthesis
Scientists have long sought to mimic the process by which plants make their own fuel using sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water through artificial photosynthesis devices, but exactly how catalysts work to generate renewable fuel remains a mystery. Now, a study has uncovered new insight into how to better control cobalt oxide, one of the most promising catalysts for artificial photosynthesis. Read more »
Electric Dipoles Form Chiral Skyrmions
Researchers demonstrated that polar skyrmions—cousins of magnetic skyrmions but comprising swirls of electric dipoles instead of spins—exhibit chirality in a material with electrically switchable properties. Control of such phenomena could one day lead to low-power, nonvolatile data storage as well as to high-performance computers. Read more »
Announcement on High-Field Bend Magnets in the ALS-U Project
One of the important decisions the ALS-U Project has been weighing is which technology to implement to have the best chance of preserving the ALS’s highly valuable and productive tender and hard x-ray programs. Taking into account both user needs as well as the project’s technical risk, schedule, and cost, we have decided to move forward with permanent magnet (3.2 T) source points. Read more »
Heliconical-layered nanocylinders (HLNCs) – hierarchical self-assembly in a unique B4 phase liquid crystal morphology
Morphology is of critical importance for molecular crystals, drug molecules, alloys, and elements in the periodic table. We here demonstrate how very subtle structural changes in a set of bent-core liquid crystals lead to rather complex hierarchical superstructures driven by changes in molecular conformation. Read more »
Clues to the Early Solar System Preserved in a Meteorite
Scientists analyzing a tiny carbon-rich pocket inside a meteorite found unexpected chemical signatures. Their findings are the first direct evidence that material from the outer solar system may have traveled inward long before planets formed, providing insight into the early solar system. Read more »
2019 ALS User Meeting Award Nominations Due June 28
The ALS Users’ Executive Committee invites nominations from everyone—including students, postdocs, PIs, and staff—for the 2019 ALS User Meeting Awards. Consider preparing a brief nomination for a deserving colleague. In addition to the award plaque, there will be a cash prize associated with each award. Read more »
Former Director Roger Falcone Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
Roger Falcone, who led the ALS for 11 years, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. In addition to his contributions at Berkeley Lab, he is also a professor in the UC Berkeley Physics department and past-president of the American Physical Society. Congratulations, Roger! Read more »
May 2019 Message from the UEC
Alex Frañó, the vice chair of the Users’ Executive Committee (UEC) for 2019, reports on the most recent UEC meeting, discusses a letter of support for light source facilities, and announces a new communication tool for users. Read more »
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