How to Use Fourth-Generation Synchrotron Radiation Facility
How to Use Fourth-Generation Synchrotron Radiation Facility
  • Lee Sang-hui
  • 승인 2017.01.01 16:51
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Pohang Light Source (PLS) is a national research facility for analyzing fine structure and feature of a substance. Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) has been open to users since 1995. The fourth-generation synchrotron radiation facility, Pohang Acceleration Laboratory X-ray Free Electron Laser (PAL-XFEL), was completed in 2015 and is being prepared for testing. Online application service for beamline of PLS is served on “pal.postech.ac.kr.” Application is a three step process. The initial step is writing basic information: applicant’s contact information and research theme. The second step is submitting a beam time application including the following information: research type (public/nonpublic), use date, and requisition beamline number. Public researchers have to submit a research result report within a year, and specify that the research was conducted by PLS if the research is published in a domestic or foreign journal or collection of dissertations. Nonpublic researchers do not have to publish results to the public. Costs for using PLS beamline is 100,000 KRW per day for public research, and 1,500,000 KRW per day for nonpublic research. Costs for PAL-XFEL is 250,000 KRW per 12 hours for public research, and 50,000,000 KRW per 12 hours for nonpublic research. The third step is writing research content: use of dangerous substance, synchrotron radiation usage experience, and contents of research including explanations about why radiation beam, or pertinent beamline is needed. Applied research plans are screened by domestic and foreign experts who belong to Korean Synchrotron Radiation User’s Association. The screening emphasis is on “Research only available by PAL-XFEL,” “Research that has great academic-industrial ripple effect,” and “Research that pioneers new research scope.”PAL-XFEL has three main fields. The first is the chemistry and chemical engineering field, including reaction mechanism study about photoactive energy and nanomaterials. The next is the physics and material field, including studies about light source of PAL-XFEL’s complete coherence performance materialization. The third is biotechnology and medical science, including research about proteins associated with infection. PAL-XFEL has three beamlines, which are X-ray scattering and spectroscopy (XSS), nanocrystallography imaging (NCI), and soft X-ray scattering and spectroscopy (SSS). At PAL-XFEL, research such as “Time resolved X-ray solid scattering” and “Time resolved X-ray solution scattering” can be conducted in XSS beamline. “Protein crystalline structure diffraction” and “Coherent X-ray diffraction imaging” can be conducted in NCI beamline.Public offering for XSS, NCI beamline of PAL-XFEL begins on May, 2017. Offering for SSS beamline starts in the second half of the year. From January, researchers who have usage experience with overseas fourth-generation synchrotron radiation facilities get early access to PAL-XFEL. This is in order to check the state of PAL-XFEL and compare it with other fourth-generation synchrotron radiation facilities. Ordinary researchers can apply for usage of beginning May 2017.