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 »
All News & Updates
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 »
Mapping the Quantum Landscape of Electrons in Solids
Researchers found a way to reconstruct quantum geometric tensors (QGTs)—mathematical entities that encode how an electron’s wave function is shaped by its quantum environment. The mapping of QGTs enables the discovery and control of novel quantum phenomena such as superconductivity and unconventional electronic phases. Read more »
Suggest Speakers and Workshops for the 2025 User Meeting
The 2025 ALS User Meeting will take place August 11-13. We want to hear from you! Help shape this year’s program by submitting nominations for plenary speakers and proposing workshops and tutorials by April 4. 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 »
A New Way to Engineer Composite Materials
A new study led by researchers at Berkeley Lab outlines a way to engineer pseudo-bonds in materials. Instead of forming chemical bonds, which is what makes epoxies and other composites so tough, the chains of molecules entangle in a way that is fully reversible. 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 »
A Clearer Look at Lithium-Ion Traffic Jams in Batteries
By directly visualizing the uneven insertion of lithium ions into electrodes with well-defined crystal orientations, researchers learned why fast charging decreases battery lifespan and performance. The work could provide insights into better battery utilization and help investigations of the surface insertion reaction during fast charging. Read more »
Bennu’s Ancient Brine Sheds Light on Recipe for Life
Researchers traced the evolution of minerals (“salts”) in an ancient brine, as recorded in samples from the asteroid Bennu, returned to Earth by NASA’s OSIRIS-REx mission. The results support the idea that asteroids like Bennu may have delivered water and essential chemical building blocks of life to Earth in the distant past. Read more »
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