OPERATION OF CORNELL HIGH ENERGY SYNCHROTRON SOURCE (CHESS)

Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

Non-technical Abstract This award from the National Science Foundation to Cornell University supports the operation of the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) as a national user facility. User access is granted free of charge through a competitive proposal review process. CHESS provides high energy X-ray beams, for studies including the atomic and nanoscale structure, properties, in operando, and time-resolved behavior of electronic, structural, polymeric and biological materials, protein and virus crystallography, environmental science, radiography of solids and fluids, and micro-elemental analysis. The synchrotron facility is used by investigators from a wide range of science and engineering disciplines in academia, industry, government, non-profits, and international institutions. CHESS attracts new users through presenations at professional society meetings, a monthly newsletter, and their website. This award also provides support to upgrade the facility and enhance the capabilities of the existing instruments. These upgrades enable CHESS to increase the number users and provide unique capabilities to the research community. Technology development at CHESS on new X-ray extraction devices, detectors, and optics will advance synchrotron science. CHESS plays a national role in advanced training of X-ray beamline scientists, expert X-ray users; and accelerator scientists. CHESS educates the K-12 students and teachers, community college students, and the public through science activities, after-school science programs, and tours. CHESS has specific initiatives aimed at increasing participation of underrepresented groups in Science Technology Education and Mathematics (STEM) fields with goals of improving science literacy and the national workforce. Technical Abstract This award from the National Science Foundation to Cornell University supports the operation of the Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source (CHESS) as a national user facility for a five year period to advance materials science, condensed matter physics, chemistry, engineering, and biology through advanced uses of X-ray radiation. CHESS will deliver 140 user days per year to 11 beamlines that enable advanced imaging, the determination of atomic and larger scale structure in materials, and various spectroscopies to probe electronic organization and transitions in materials. User access is granted free of charge through a competitive external proposal review process. CHESS will pursue the following seven collaborative user initiatives, which are expected to drive their respective scientific fields and will guide beamline upgrades: Computationally-Enabled Total Scattering Studies of Complex Materials; Designer Solids: Structure, Processing and Performance; Rapidly Evolving Systems; X-Ray Imaging: Scanning Probe and Full-Field; Spectroscopic Studies; Energy and Structural Materials: In Operando Studies; and, Macromolecules and Biochemistry. This award also provides support for upgrades of the facility, most notably the installation of three Cornell designed undulators, which are an order of magnitude less expensive than current technology. The increased flux from the undulators at 7 of the 11 beamlines will enable new experiments at CHESS such as probing the structure of excited electronic states. CHESS plays a national role in advanced training of X-ray beamline scientists, expert X-ray users; and accelerator scientists. The Xraise program reaches out to K-12, community college students and public school teachers. Xraise collaborates with other Cornell research centers and local schools to offer classroom science activities, creates and sponsors after-school science programs, and hosts tours and demonstrations for the public in the eXploration Station. CHESS has specific initiatives aimed at increasing participation of underrepresented groups in Science Technology Education and Mathematics (STEM) fields with goals of improving science literacy and the national workforce.