Scientists in dSLAC Energy’s National Accelerator Laboratory Division is putting the finishing touches on what will become the world’s brightest laser. disebut Linac Coherent Light Source II (LCLS-II)It will be 10,000 times brighter than the previous brightest laser, once it is ready for use.
Currently, under construction some 30 feet (9 meters) underground near Stanford University, lasers promise to help physicists reveal some of the fundamental unknowns about our universe. The laser extends about 2 miles (3.2 km) in a specially dug tunnel.
predecessor, Linac I. Coherent Light Sources The LCLS-I was launched in 2009 and is capable of producing a beam capable of producing 120 light pulses per second. However, the LCLS-II broke that record with its ability to generate one million pulses per second.
“I think it’s fair to say that LCLS-II will usher in a new era of science,” said Dr. James Cryan, one of the scientists at SLAC. CNET on an exclusive tour of new facilities.
The new laser is “capable of making pulses as long as femtoseconds. Femtosecond to second because one second is to the age of the universe.” This ultra-fast pulse capability will allow scientists to carry out experiments they never thought possible.
To this end, the LCLS-II will function a bit like a microscope but at an atomic level of accuracy. At the heart of the device is a powerful particle accelerator that accelerates charged particles and directs them into extremely powerful beams.
These rays will then pass through a series of alternating magnets (called corrugators) to produce X-rays. Scientists can use these X-rays to create what they call a “molecular film”. You can think of this as a moving portrait of an atom or molecule that captures every “photo” In a few millionths of a second and put together like a movie.
The predecessors of the new laser were slower to take these photos, but allowed scientists from around the world to make very interesting and important discoveries of the past. This includes things like Observe the chemical reactions that take place, show the behavior of the atoms inside the star, and make live photos detailing the process of photosynthesis. The ability to take pictures at femtosecond intervals with the new laser will suit Andrew Borrell, Associate Laboratory Director at SLAC, will truly be a game changer.
“If you think about a strong light that goes out 120 times, you will see one image. And if it goes off a million times in one second, you get a much different picture. So you can make a much better film,” he said. say.
The new laser is a completely different beast from its predecessor
The LCLS-II’s shooting speed isn’t the only difference between the new laser and its predecessor.
While both devices accelerate electrons to near the speed of light, they each do so differently. For example, LCLS-I pushes electrons down a copper tube at room temperature. This is fine for short bursts, but not ideal for continuous operation.
This is where the new laser comes in on its own. Continuous operation of the type required for LCLS-II generates a lot of heat. Conventional copper cavities, such as those used in LCLS-I, would dissipate much of this heat, so engineers turned to new superconducting accelerators.
The new material consists of dozens of 40 ft (12 m) long devices called Freezing unit designed to operate at 2 degrees above absolute zero (-456 degrees Fahrenheit). It is kept at operating temperature by a large above-ground cryogenic plant.
All of these kits, according to Cryan, will allow SLAC scientists to answer basic questions such as, “How does energy transfer occur in molecular systems? How does the charge transfer happen?”
“Once we understand some of these principles, we can begin to apply them to understand how we can perform artificial photosynthesis, and how we can build better solar cells.”
SLAC scientists hope to power a new laser in the new year, and hope to produce the first X-rays in the summer. It will be interesting to see what secrets of the universe LCLS-II will reveal in 2022 and beyond.
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