Institute Methods and Instrumentation for Synchrotron Radiation Research

Research statement

With bespoke and world leading Synchrotron experimental capabilities we address governing principles of efficient functionality in materials and identify drivers of molecular rate and selectivity. Often, these are the central aspects of basic energy science underlying efficient energy technologies, clean chemistry as well as data storage and computing. Soft X-ray spectroscopy provides the essential element specific and chemical selective probes and comes with an ultrafast time structure that allows to dissect complex molecules and materials into the atomic constituents and active centers.

With the support of the Helmholtz Association, the European Research Council, the DFG and the BMBF, we established with our national and international partners science driven links and collaborations to advance these grant challenges. These are the “Uppsala-Berlin joint Laboratory on next generation electron spectroscopy” or our world leading XUV and soft X-ray instruments for resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and the newly started AXSYS. We also initiated and completed the “Heisenberg-RIXS facility for resonant inelastic X-ray scattering at the transform limit” at European XFEL and organized the underlying international users consortium.

In short, we are and have been in an ongoing process to conceptualize, field and operate soft X-ray spectroscopic instruments and beamlines. We also learn from and give advice to our national and international partners. Our efforts aim for full users operation to ensure the best science possible beyond the scope of in-house research within the Program Oriented Funding of the Helmholtz Association.

News and events

PS-ISRR Science Days 2024

Alexander Föhlisch, Head of Institute of Methods and Instrumentation for Synchrotron Radiation Resesarch, established the bi-annual PS-ISRR Science Day as an opportunity and platform for PS-ISRR staff members to present their works and discuss results. After PS-ISRR Science Day I took place in July 2024, PS-ISRR Science Day II was running smoothly end of November 2024, this time with students presenting their project works and results, inviting lively discussions and expertise from colleagues at PS-ISRR.

PS-ISRR Seminar Talk Fr., Nov. 1st, Professor Joel D. Brock (Cornell)

Date: Friday Nov. 1^st 2024, 11.00 a.m. Location: HZB/BESSY II /Aquarium

ABSTRACT: CHESS: History, Status, and Vision for the Future From 1980 until 2008, the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) ran parasitically on the High Energy Physics (HEP) experiment at Cornell University. In 2008, HEP experiments at Cornell concluded and CHESS began optimizing and operating the storage ring for X-ray production. In 2016-19, the CHESS-U upgrade project removed the large HEP detector, rebuilt portions of the storage ring, and completely rebuilt the X-ray experimental floor, making CHESS a 3^rd generation, high-energy (6 GeV) synchrotron facility. In 2019, CHESS changed its funding structure to the “Partner Model” in which multiple agencies fund the operation of X-ray beamlines and a proportionate share of the core operating costs. Since 2019, CHESS has won two large “Mid-Scale Research Infrastructure (MSRI)” awards from the US National Science Foundation to construct unique X-ray facilities optimized for High Magnetic Field science and Plant Biology. In this talk, I will first review CHESS’s history and current capabilities. Then, I will present CHESS’s vision for the future and how we believe synchrotron facilities will evolved over the next quarter century.

Successful PhD Defense!

Congratulations to PS-ISRR’s PhD candidate Chun-Yu Liu! In September 2024, Chun-Yu successfully defended his thesis Atomic Excitations and Covalency in Correlated Solids From High-Resolution XUV Resonant Inelastic X-Ray Scattering at U Potsdam and received a summa cum laude.

Users Meeting's Satellite Workshop: Probing functionality with soft x-rays

Probing functionality with soft x-rays: (a) Active sites and dynamics in molecules and materials and (b) Elemental excitations in solids. This workshop we will take place on June 21 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. in a hybrid format at the HZB campus in Adlershof (Aquarium 14.51-3303). We will present the new instrumentation and opportunities at BESSY II to access and investigate material functionality and its dynamics.

Picture: SolidFlexRIXS visual (Régis Decker)

Nils Mårtensson granted access to NAISS high-performance computing

The Coincidence Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis at BESSY II(CoESCA@UE52-PGM) operated by the Uppsala-Berlin joint Lab investigates the long-term stability of containment materials from the perspective of the atomic interaction of oxygen with Copper. For this effort Prof. Dr. Nils Mårtensson has been granted access to medium-scale 2023 NAISS high-performance computing (NAISS 2023/5-76) in the project “Electronic and atomic structure of surface oxides”.

Congratulation Markus Hantschmann

In February 2023, Markus Hantschmann successfully completed his PhD at the University of Potsdam. Congratulations from PS-ISRR all!