Synchrotron experiment

The HotCore team is at beamline P02.2 in DESY, Hamburg, this week. We are collecting in-situ X-ray diffraction data on iron samples under extreme pressures and temperatures. To do so, we rely on synchrotron radiation provided by the PETRA III facility in Germany. Synchrotron radiation is generated in large accelerators, where electrons are accelerated in a somewhat circular particle accelerator. As the electrons bend in their path, they emit radiation tangentially to their trajectory, and we use the X-rays produced by the PETRA III synchrotron to determine the atomic structure of crystals and other of their physical properties.

Experiments that would take days with lab-based X-rays can be achieved in minutes or hours, and we can work on our tiny 20-micrometer samples inside diamond anvil cells. Access to synchrotron is challenging to come by, however! We had access to the machine since Tuesday at 9:00 AM. It is now 7:20 AM on Friday, and we are rushing to collect the last datasets before our beam shuts down at 9:00. Keeeeep oooonnnn!

This experiment involved hard work over the whole month of January to prepare the diamond anvil cells and samples, and long nights to collect data for the project. Now will be the time to start the data analysis, which will probably take a few months... Stay tuned!