A diagram of the synchrotron. The synchrotron uses two particle accelerator rings to bring electrons to 99.9 per cent of the speed of light. The electrons are then subject to magnetic fields that make them give off photons, the particles that make up light. This high intensity light, ranging in spectrum from x-rays to infra-red, can be used for all kinds of imaging, including viewing chemicals down to an atomic scale.
The diagram shows the various parts of the synchrotron. The first part is a linear accelerator, labelled "1", which give the electrons an initial push. The inner ring, labelled "2", uses radio waves to accelerate the electrons to near-light speed.
"Think of the electrons as a surfboard on a wave," explained Richard Farnsworth, head of controls and IT at the Australian synchrotron. The surfing electrons are then transferred into an outer ring for storage. From here they are used to generate the synchrotron light used for research.
Leave a comment