SACLA Sets Record
In Japan, RIKEN, a research institute based in Wako, and Japan Synchrotron Radiation
Research Institute in Hyogo have announced the successful production of a beam of
x-ray laser light with a wavelength of 1.2 Å, the shortest ever measured.
The light was created using SACLA, an x-ray free-electron laser facility unveiled
by RIKEN in February 2011 in Harima. SACLA, or Spring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron
LAser, opens a window into the structure of atoms and molecules at a level of detail
never seen before, according to RIKEN.
Published: September 2011
Glossary
- angstrom
- An angstrom, symbolized by the Ångström or Å, is a unit of length used to express atomic and molecular dimensions. It is equal to 0.1 nanometers or 1 × 10-10 meters. The angstrom is named after the Swedish physicist Anders Jonas Ångström, who made significant contributions to the understanding of spectroscopy and atomic structure in the 19th century. This unit is particularly convenient for describing the sizes of atoms, molecules, and the wavelengths of...
- free-electron laser
- A free-electron laser (FEL) is a type of laser that generates coherent, high-intensity electromagnetic radiation by using a beam of accelerated electrons as the lasing medium. Unlike traditional lasers that use atoms or molecules as the active medium, free-electron lasers exploit the unique properties of free electrons, allowing them to produce laser light across a wide range of wavelengths, including the infrared, visible, and ultraviolet regions of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Key points...
- nanotechnology
- The use of atoms, molecules and molecular-scale structures to enhance existing technology and develop new materials and devices. The goal of this technology is to manipulate atomic and molecular particles to create devices that are thousands of times smaller and faster than those of the current microtechnologies.
AmericasangstromAsia-PacificBiophotonicsBusinessdrug discoveryfree-electron laserJapan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institutelight speedLinac coherent light sourcemedicinenanotechnologyRIKENSACLASpring-8 Angstrom Compact free- electron LAserUSx-ray free-electron laserx-ray laser lightXFELLasers