European XFEL : Europe’s next-generation free-electron laser

The faster, more powerful European XFEL free-electron laser¹ was inaugurated on September 1, 2017, near Hamburg, Germany. By producing ultra-bright, trillion-photon X-ray flashes at a frequency two hundred times greater than the best preexisting free-electron lasers (FELs), this next-generation European instrument will allow scientists to map the atomic relief of viruses, decipher the molecular composition of cells, create 3-D images of the nanoworld, and even film chemical reactions. Eleven countries helped build the XFEL, at a cost of €1.2 billion. The French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) both played a leading role in the design and construction of the superconducting electron accelerator at the heart of this new international research facility. Since the 1970s, particle accelerators have been used to produce X-rays through synchrotron radiation. This technology is used for structural analysis of materials and was enhanced through the construction of dedicated research facilities—e.g. ESRF and SOLEIL in Grenoble and Saclay, France, respectively.