Contract for next-generation synchrotron windows

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has contracted Advanced Design Consulting to develop a next-generation beryllium window for use in synchrotron facilities.

Asthma sufferers could have new pharmaceuticals thanks to researchers who - using a synchrotron - found the exact shape of an attack-triggering molecule.

Doctors may detect breast cancer earlier because of fresh knowledge on the changing molecular structure of hair, and scientists have found clues to observing and possibly curing juvenile diabetes.

The dream of many more science and medical miracles may soon become reality thanks to facilities called a synchrotron.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has contracted Advanced Design Consulting (ADC) of Lansing, NY, to develop the next generation of a beryllium window, used in the synchrotron facilities to separate high-vacuum regions from each other.

"In many synchrotron facilities, the researchers need to improve the x-ray beam quality and intensity", says Alex Deyhim, President of ADC.

"To improve the beamline performance, better windows are needed".

One such synchrotron facility that will benefit from an improved beryllium window is the Argonne National Laboratory's advanced photon source in Argonne, Illinois, which is as large as a baseball stadium.

As the X-ray beams from the advanced photon source are a billion times more intense than beams in the standard laboratory, scientists can excite, select and probe atoms, molecules and clusters to examine them in better detail.

With improved specifications for the beryllium surface finish and thickness uniformity, the optical phase contrast of the beam will be increased.

In addition ADC hopes to reduce absorption, or the interception of radiant energy, resulting in even greater beam intensity.

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