China’s High Energy Photon Source

• 18 May 2024

Source: TOI

Why in News?

China is on the brink of a major scientific breakthrough with the construction of the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), a state-of-the-art fourth-generation synchrotron light source.

• This development places China among a select group of nations capable of producing some of the brightest X-rays in the world.

Note:

• A synchrotron is a large circular machine the size of a football field that produces intense beams of light using high-energy electrons forced to travel in a circular orbit inside tunnels with strong magnetic fields.
  • The light is used to reveal the innermost secrets of materials, leading to advancements in medicine, agriculture, and materials science.

What is the HEPS Facility?

• About:
  • The High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) located approximately Huairou, this facility is designed to accelerate electrons up to energies of 6 giga electron volts within its 1.36-kilometer circumference storage ring.
• Key Features of HEPS:
  • HEPS will produce high-energy X-rays that can penetrate deep into samples, revealing intricate details at the nanometer scale.
  • Technical Specifications:
    • Electron Acceleration: Up to 6 gigaelectron volts.
    • Time Resolution: 10,000 times better than third-generation synchrotrons, enabling measurements in nanoseconds.
    • Beamlines: 14 initially, with the capacity to expand up to 90.
  • Scientific Impact:
    • Nanometre-Scale Probing: Ability to study molecular and atomic structures in real time.
      • Can analyse minuscule samples, including small protein crystals that are challenging for older synchrotrons.
    • Broad Applications: Will benefit fields such as biomedicine, energy, advanced materials, and condensed-matter physics.
    • Faster Experimentation: Experiments that took days at older facilities can now be completed rapidly.
• Challenges:
  • Beam Stability: Ensuring the X-ray beam is stable enough for practical use requires meticulous, step-by-step adjustments.
  • Technical Precision: The process of fine-tuning thousands of components is critical to maintaining the light’s brightness and stability.

How does HEPS Compare to Other Synchrotrons?

• Current Status in China: HEPS will surpass the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, China’s most advanced existing synchrotron.
• Global Context: Joins the ranks of only a few fourth-generation synchrotron facilities worldwide, including:
  • MAX IV Laboratory (Lund, Sweden), Sirius (Campinas, Brazil), Extremely Brilliant Source (Grenoble, France), and Advanced Photon Source (Lemont, Illinois).
• Synchrotrons in India:
  • India has two synchrotron radiation sources at the Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT) in Indore.
    • Indus-1:
      • A 450 MeV source that has been operating since 1999 and emits in the soft x-ray and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) regions.
    • Indus-2:
      • Indus-2 is an indigenously built third generation Synchrotron Radiation Source (SRS) with 2.5 GeV energy and 200 mA beam current, operating at Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology (RRCAT), Indore.
      • It has a provision of 21 beamlines based on bending magnets and additional 5 beamlines based on insertion devices.