Accelerator research
BESSY II and BESSY II+
BESSY II produces what is known as synchrotron radiation. This is extremely brilliant light of a very high quality for research. BESSY II is particularly bright in the soft X-ray range, which allows to analyse chemical and electronic processes in materials. Research teams from a wide range of disciplines use BESSY II, from physics and chemistry to biology, environmental sciences, pharmacy, archaeology and art history.
BESSY II has already been in operation for more than 25 years. Several teams at HZB are now working to modernise this accelerator as part of the BESSY II+ upgrade, in order to continue generating light of optimal quality for research in the coming years
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
Photo: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt
The Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) plays a central role in modern industrial society. In particular, PTB supports high-tech industries in Europe, such as the world's only manufacturer of EUV lithography machines for the latest microchips, ASML, in the Netherlands. International space agencies also require data from PTB for the calibration of instruments. To fulfil these tasks, PTB uses the synchrotron radiation of BESSY II and uses a smaller synchrotron source, the Metrological Light Source MLS, which is also operated by HZB (see figure).
BESSY III - The future
HZB is developing a concept for a successor source based on the most advanced principles. As a fourth-generation light source, BESSY III will be able to deliver about a thousand times more photons. This will make it possible to study very fast processes in materials with the highest precision: for example, batteries during discharge or chemical changes in catalysts during a reaction. BESSY III will fill a gap in the European research landscape and enable cutting-edge international research in Berlin. The first light from BESSY III is expected in 2035.
The SEALab
The Sustainable Electron Accelerator Laboratory (SEALab) will enable a wide range of experiments for accelerator research and development, in particular with superconducting radio-frequency accelerating structures.