More than 300 Scientists at SRF 2009 in Berlin
International Conference on RF-Superconductivity and Accelerator Physics was a great success!
International Conference on RF-Superconductivity and Accelerator Physics was a great success! The HZB hosted an important international conference, SRF 2009 (International Conference of Radiofrequency Superconductivity) from September 20 to 25. Professor Dr. Anke Rita Kaysser-Pyzalla welcomed the interested scientists in her opening speech at dbb Forum in Berlin. The number of attendants exceeded all expectations. More than 300 scientists took advantage of this opportunity to discuss the latest results in SRF research and technology development.
RF superconductivity has evolved over the last decades into the enabling technology for many accelerators for particle physics, nuclear physics and, increasingly, light sources. The European Free-Electron Laser (XFEL) in Hamburg and the recently commissioned Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at Oak Ridge, USA are exciting examples of the varied applications of SRF.
The SRF 2009 was organised by HZB in cooperation with the Forschungszentrum Dresden - Rossendorf. In Rossendorf, 13 tutorial sessions were held from 17th to 19th of September. Notable professionals passed on their extensive knowledge and experience in the field of SRF to about 90 participating scientists.
Please click here for more information on the SRF 2009: http://srf2009.helmholtz-berlin.de
- BESSY II: How intrinsic oxygen shortens the lifespan of solid-state batteriesAlthough solid-state batteries (SSBs) demonstrate high performance and are intrinsically safe, their capacity currently declines rapidly. A team from the TU Wien, Humboldt-University Berlin and HZB has now analysed a TiS₂|Li₃YCl₆ solid-state half-cell in operando at BESSY II using a special sample environment that allows for non-destructive investigation under real operating conditions. Data obtained by combination of soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and HAXPES) revealed a new degradation mechanism that had not previously been identified in solid-state batteries. They have gained some surprising insights, particularly regarding the harmful role played by intrinsic oxygen. This study provides valuable information for improving design and handling of such batteries.
- Spintronics at BESSY II: Real-time analysis of magnetic bilayer systemsSpintronic devices enable data processing with significantly lower energy consumption. They are based on the interaction between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic layers. Now, a team from Freie Universität Berlin, HZB and Uppsala University has succeeded in tracking, for each layer separately, how the magnetic order changes after a short laser pulse has excited the system. They were also able to identify the main cause of the loss of antiferromagnetic order in the oxide layer: the excitation is transported from the hot electrons in the ferromagnetic metal to the spins in the antiferromagnet.
- Environmental Chemistry at BESSY II: Radicals in waterwaysHow do radicals form in aqueous solutions when exposed to UV light? This question is important for health research and environmental protection, for example with regard to the overfertilisation of water bodies by intensive agriculture. A team at BESSY II has now developed a new method of investigating hydroxyl radicals in solution. By using a clever trick, the scientists gained surprising insights into the reaction pathway.