After a roller-coaster two years, Steve Kevan is happy to report that the ALS is emerging from the pandemic, perhaps a little battered but certainly not broken. He invites the community to look to the near- and long-term future of the ALS. Read more »
ALSNews Vol. 435
February 23, 2022
Interlayer Coupling Drives Mysterious Phase Transition
Researchers found that a mysterious phase transition in an iron-based superconductor is driven by interactions between the material’s 2D layers. The results counter the assumption that interlayer coupling is negligible in such materials, suggesting instead that the interactions can be an effective way to tune superconductivity. Read more »
Improving the Efficiency of Atmospheric Water Harvesting
Researchers traced the step-by-step path of water-molecule uptake in a porous compound, then made pinpoint modifications to shape the material’s water-sorption behavior. The results led to improvements in the compound’s efficiency at harvesting water from the air, an important step toward alleviating water shortages in the future. Read more »
A Photoelectrode Protection Scheme for Solar-Fuel Production
Microscopy, spectroscopy, and computational studies of a promising artificial-photosynthesis material led researchers to develop a model photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell with remarkable stability and longevity as it selectively converts sunlight and carbon dioxide into two promising sources of renewable fuels—ethylene and hydrogen. Read more »
Rapid 3D Visualization of Lung Cells Altered by SARS-CoV-2
In this work, researchers illustrated the potential of soft x-ray tomography to rapidly characterize and quantify the structural changes induced in cells infected by SARS-CoV-2, revealing profound alterations of the subcellular architecture induced by viral infection over time. Read more »
Ming Yi, Users’ Executive Committee Chair
From superconductors to snowboarding, Ming Yi sees the beauty of physics everywhere. She loves the sense of community in the synchrotron world and hopes users and staff will share their input with the Users’ Executive Committee. Read more »
Remember to Update Your ALSHub Profile
All users are encouraged to check and update their ALSHub profiles by logging in to ALSHub, clicking “Profile” and then “Update Contact Information.” Users can contact alsuser@lbl.gov for more information or assistance. Read more »
Latest Update on Long-Term Operating Schedule
The ALS is currently in a long shutdown, and user operations are scheduled to resume on March 15. We anticipate the next shutdown will begin on July 4 and last less than eight weeks. The most up-to-date information can always be found on the Operating Schedule web page. Read more »
Save the date for the 2022 User Meeting
Mark your calendar for this year’s ALS User Meeting, which will take place virtually August 15–17. See you there! Read more »
ALS in the News (February 2022)
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- Scientists discover ‘secret sauce’ behind exotic properties of new quantum material
- Plant smoke detectors evolve as hormone sensors
- Autofocus for x-ray crystallography: How AutoML targets samples at the ALS
- With a little help, new optical material assembles itself
- Coral skeleton formation rate determines resilience to acidifying oceans
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