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History

The Center for X-Rays in Swedish Materials Science located in Sweden and the Swedish Materials Science beamline situated at the PETRA III synchrotron in Germany together comprise the PETRA III Swedish Node – an ultra high energy beamline with two measurement stations specially designed for materials science research experiments.

SMS being built at PetraIII, Hamburg
Construction of the Swedish Materials Science beam line at PETRA III, Hamburg. Photo: Professor Jens Birch.

Background

The background to the PETRA III Swedish Node was a Memorandum of Understanding agreed in 2009 between the Swedish and German governments to cooperate in infrastructure development and research [1]. This understanding was then implemented in 2010 via the formation of the Röntgen-Ångström Cluster (RÅC).

The RÅC initiated a project to assess Swedish infrastructure needs at PETRA III. In that assessment, a key consideration for Sweden was ensuring complementarity to the MAX IV and ESS research infrastructures that were also being planned at that time [1, 2]. Such infrastructure complementary matched the measurement needs of materials science researchers [1, 2].

Early project milestones

The Swedish materials science research community was actively engaged throughout the RÅC project [2], especially via a number of workshops:

  • October 2010. "Swedish beamline kick-off" workshop. Stockholm
  • February 2011. Formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding at Deutsches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg
  • August 2011. "High energy materials science" workshop. DESY, Hamburg
  • June 2012. Scientific workshop to review the Conceptual Design Report (CDR) for a Swedish Materials Science beamline at PETRA III. Sigtuna.
  • July 2013. Technical Design Report (TDR) workshop concerning Swedish Materials Science beamline at PETRA III.

Funding and construction

Subsequently, Sweden decided to finance the building and operation of a Swedish Materials Science beamline at PETRA III [3, 4]. This was to be located in a hall housing several new beamlines at PETRA III, which was then under construction in Hamburg.

Sweden also saw the importance of establishing a Swedish host for the future Swedish Materials Science beamline at PETRA III. The Swedish Research Council (VR), which is responsible for all of Sweden's national infrastructures, therefore made a call for a host. KTH and LiU applied as a consortium - the Center for X-Rays in Swedish Materials Science.

Construction of the hall where the Swedish Material Science beamline was proceeding and instrumentation began to be installed. In November 2017, a workshop was held at DESY to raise awareness that the dreams of 2009 were becoming a reality for Swedish materials researchers. The tangibility of these dreams was then demonstrated in September 2018 when the first diffraction patterns were detected at the Swedish Materials Science beamline.

Image of the first diffraction rays at the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline

CeXS formation

In December 2018, the Center for X-Rays in Swedish Material Science consortium was awarded the privilege of hosting the Swedish Materials Science beamline and given the responsibility of governing this Swedish infrastructure together with DESY as well as safeguarding Swedish interests at PETRA III. The legal basis for CeXS was established during 2019, when CeXS was also formally inaugurated.

Rapid uptake and recognition

The Swedish Materials Science beamline become operational for Swedish researchers during 2019.

From 2019, Swedish researchers have privileged access to this Swedish Materials Science beamline as well as privileged access to all beamlines at PETRA III that are operated by Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) [5].

The Swedish Material Science beamline became the most sought after beamline at PETRA III by Swedish researchers in 2019 [6], a position sustained since 2020 [7].

In 2020, the PETRA III Swedish Node also became listed in the Swedish Research Council's inventory of research infrastructures that are of national interest to Sweden.

Measurements at the Swedish beamline became a key aspect of leading research, with publications in high ranking journals.

Current status of the PETRA III Swedish Node

The year 2022 saw several developments:

  • Uppsala University became an affiliate member of CeXS
  • The Swedish Research Council and DESY extended the privileged access agreement to 2026
  • The Swedish Research Council announced a new award to CeXS for the period 2023-2026. In addition to hosting duites, CeXS has infrastructure development funding, where the theme of those projects is streamlining research use of the PETRA III Swedish Materials Science beamline. (Streamlining was envisaged as a combination of hardware, methods and software).  

In 2022, the number of users of PETRA III who are affiliated to Swedish universities, institutes and companies grew to 300 people.

In 2023, infrastructure developments are ongoing. See here  for more details.

References

  1. Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the Kingdom of Sweden and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research of the Federal Republic of Germany. “Cooperation in materials research and structural biology using neutron and synchrotron radiation” This collaboration was given the name "Röntgen-Angstrom Cluster [RÅC]”. Regeringskansliet. Dnr U2009/447/F. 15 June 2009.
  2. Interview. Professor Ulf Karlsson. History of the Swedish material science beamline. KTH. 22 September 2020.
  3. Decision to sign the Memorandum of Understanding “Realization of the high energy materials science beamline at the storage ring PETRA III, DESY [Hamburg]” to the effect that Sweden should finance the construction and operations of a Swedish Material Science beamline, where that Swedish Material Science beamline was described more fully in Dnr 813-2011-23. The official signing ceremony was held 25 February 2011. The Swedish Research Council. GD-2011-17. 22 February 2011.
  4.  Decision to enter into a Cooperation Agreement on the Construction phase of the Swedish Materials Science beamline at PETRA Ill situated at the port P21 [SMS]. The Swedish Research Council. GD-2018-75. 4 April 2018.
  5. Decision to enter into a contractual agreement [Dnr 823-2010-06911] with DESY for operations of the Swedish Material Science beamline at PETRA III. The Swedish Research Council. GD-2019-124. 17 June 2019.
  6. Academic hosting of the Swedish Materials Science Beamline at PETRA III, Hamburg, Germany. 2019 Organisational Report to The Swedish Research Council concerning grant 2018-6942. The Center for X-Rays in Swedish Material Science. April 2020.
  7. Academic hosting of the Swedish Materials Science Beamline at PETRA III, Hamburg, Germany. 2020 Organisational Report to The Swedish Research Council concerning grant 2018-6942. The Center for X-Rays in Swedish Material Science. April 2021.
Belongs to: Center for X-rays in Swedish Materials Science (CeXS)
Last changed: Jun 14, 2023