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Credits/Disclaimer

Introduction

Introduction by the Chairman

Users' Executive Committee Report

Science Highlights

Introduction

Feature Highlights

Chemical Science

Condensed Matter Physics

Geology & Environmental Science

Life Science

Materials Science

Soft Condensed Matter & Biophysics

Year in Review

Year in Review

2006 NSLS Tours

2006 NSLS Seminars

Facility Report

Organization Chart

NSLS Advisory Committees

Accelerator Division Report

Operations & Engineering Division Report

User Science Division Report

NSLS-II Report

User Administration Report

Safety Report

Building Administration Report

Facts and Figures

Beamline Guide

Linac & Booster Parameters

VUV Storage Ring Parameters

X-Ray Storage Ring Parameters

2006 Ring Performance & Usage

Publications

NSLS Users

NSLS Staff

Chairman's Introduction

Chi-Chang Kao

Chairman, National Synchrotron Light Source

As the NSLS continued its legacy of scientific excellence in 2006, I was honored to be named Chairman of the department after former Chair, Steve Dierker, stepped down to lead the development of NSLS-II. The NSLS is a very special place with a long and exemplary tradition of innovation in accelerator concepts and technology, as well as in the development of experimental techniques and applications of synchrotron radiation. Moreover, during the last quarter century, the NSLS has been one of the most widely used and productive scientific facilities in the world. The year 2006 was no exception, with a record-high 921 publications reported by our users and staff.

Chi-Chang Kao

An impressive array of highlights is included in this Activity Report to illustrate this extraordinary productivity and its impact to science, technology, and society. For example, one user group investigated new materials for use in lithium-ion batteries, the most common type of battery found in portable electronics and the most promising type for hybrid cars. Another user group determined the atomic crystal structure and functional mechanism of an enzyme essential for eliminating unwanted, non-nutritional compounds such as drugs, industrial chemicals, and toxic compounds from the body. And in yet another interesting study, NSLS staff and users made improvements to microbeam radiation therapy, an experimental form of radiation therapy that has been under investigation for many years.

As always, the success of these research projects depends on the performance of the facility. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our staff, both storage rings were in top form again this year — reliability was 94.3 percent for the x-ray ring and 97 percent for the VUV-IR ring. In addition, we have made significant progress this year in improving machine performance and reliability, including klystron replacement, improving diagnostics in the injection system, conducting an orbit stability study, and commissioning the new X25 in-vacuum mini-gap undulator. Finally, to ensure the long-term reliability of the NSLS accelerator complex, Accelerator and Operation and Engineering Division staff were charged to assess the reliability risks and risk mitigation plans in preparation for an external review.

In the area of safety, I am very pleased that there were no reportable occurrences related to environmental, safety, or health issues in 2006. In addition, NSLS users and staff have worked more than 1,000 days without a lost-time injury, and counting. This is a remarkable record and we should all be proud of this accomplishment. But, we have to continue to be vigilant and make sure safety is integrated into everything that we do. A major safety initiative lunched this year was the implementation of an Electrical Equipment Inspection program at the NSLS. The goal of the program is to review and inspect all electrical equipment and installations to ensure they are free from electrical shock or fire.

Additionally, many beamline upgrade projects were initiated or completed this year. The most significant ones were the X25 beamline upgrade and the construction of the X9 small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) beamline. The X25 upgrade was critically important for the NSLS to meet the growing demand from the macromolecular crystallography user community for high-brightness beamlines, which are essential for tackling the most challenging scientific problems. X9 will be a new undulator-based beamline optimized to provide SAXS and grazing incidence SAXS capabilities for nano- and bioscience studies that require high flux and/or small beam. The beamline is a collaboration between the NSLS and Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN). In 2006, with the collaboration of the Case Center for Synchrotron Biosciences, the existing X9 beamlines were relocated to X3 to make room for the construction of the new X9 beamline.

In mid-May, the first joint NSLS-CFN Users’ Meeting was carried out successfully, making way for close collaboration between the two facilities when the CFN opens next year. Progress on the NSLS-II also continues to press forward and we have begun to plan for the eventual transition to the new facility, which will provide x-rays more than 10,000 times brighter than those produced at the NSLS. Finally, with extensive input from the user community, NSLS staff, and Brookhaven research departments, we have developed a five-year strategic plan for the NSLS. The plan identifies a number of exciting scientific opportunities, improvements needed for better accelerator performance, and upgrades for beamlines, detectors, and infrastructure at the NSLS. We believe that this plan will keep scientific productivity up and grow new scientific communities at the NSLS, as well as allow us to smoothly transition the user scientific programs to the NSLS-II.