diamondnews Update from Diamond Light Source Autumn 2014

Diamond looks to the Phase III updates future Live cells in action Nanoprobe beamline Liquid dynamics under the and pioneering microscope microscopy facility come into focus Events and engagement The UK-XFEL Hub at Diamond News Inside this issue s we move into autumn, and the crunch of seed-pods underfoot brings with it our first steps towards winter, the research coming News A out of Diamond continues apace. As reported in our spring edition, Welcome to our new Chairman growth and new beginnings continue to be the watchwords for 2014, and will permeate into 2015 as we develop our plans for Diamond’s future in terms Diamond looks to the future 3 of research, collaborations, technology, and personnel. Hibernation is not Nanoprobe beamline and pioneering electron on the cards. microscopy come into focus With his feet now firmly under the table since his arrival in January, our CEO Professor Andrew Harrison is now well underway with consolidating plans for Diamond’s future The UK-XFEL Hub at Diamond development beyond the final stages of Phase III construction, and our interview with Andrew outlines the board’s approach to planning for the long-term future of Diamond.

What could prove to be a key moment in enabling us to reach our developmental goals is the appointment of our new Chairman, Professor Sir Adrian Smith. A fuller picture Autumn feature of the breadth and depth of his influential experience in scientific research and policy is given in the first article of this issue, but suffice to say we are both excited and Enabling technology: The groups honoured in equal measure to have Sir Adrian on board. keeping Diamond ahead of the game 10 Following the theme of looking to the future, we bring news of the latest developments on our electron microscopy facility, which will also house the new Nanoprobe beamline I14. We also report on our burgeoning role in the European XFEL project, with the creation of a UK base here at Diamond, giving scientists the capacity to make full use of Focus on Phase III their experimental time at the Hamburg facility. Phase III beamline updates This autumn, we have a feature article that sheds light on two groups who do a lot of work here behind the scenes. The Optics and Metrology Group and the Detector The new graphene 12 Group have been focusing their expertise on different stages of the beam’s journey Building the future on I08 Welcome to our new Chairman since before the first steel girder was put in place, and we’re very pleased to be able to illuminate a little about their respective roles at Diamond. e are delighted to announce the appointment of to Diamond’s Board of Directors. With his distinguished career As ever, we have our Phase III updates, reporting on three at different stages Professor Sir Adrian Smith as the new Chairman of the history to date, we are confident Sir Adrian will be a fervent and of development. In greater detail, we bring you coverage of I08’s first users, and exciting Focus on science WBoard. adept ambassador for Diamond. We are also extremely grateful to research in angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy research coming out of I05 on Sir Adrian, who takes over from Lord Broers, is a distinguished Lord Broers for his exceptional support and the role he has played in helping Diamond achieve its goals over the last six years.” 2D atom sheets. Live cells in action: Visualising celluar statistician with current and former positions in government and metabolism via imaging 15 a number of national institutions. In 2002, he was invited by “The pace of development of synchrotrons and the science In addition to the Phase III stories, we feature some of Diamond’s research highlights the Government to chair a review into secondary mathematics they support continues relentlessly around the world. Staying this autumn. We have some new evidence of how biochemical processes can be Raising the heat on superconductors education in the UK, resulting in the well-received Smith Report. ahead requires foresight and planning. To this end, Diamond is investigated in live cells using FTIR spectro-microscopy on the MIRIAM beamline Liquid dynamics under the microscope From 2008 - 2012, Sir Adrian served as Director General for already planning how to continue to develop its facilities to meet (B22), there’s the data from JEEP beamline (I12) supporting the use of high- Science and Research at the Department for Business, Innovation the scientific and societal challenges of the future. This is a crucial temperature superconductors, and the novel beamline setup on the Test Beamline Staff in the spotlight and Skills (BIS), which followed on from his appointment in 1998 time in the evolution of Diamond and continued strong and effective as Principal of Queen Mary University, London. Currently, Professor (B16) that can investigate the liquid to glass transition. leadership of our Board at this moment is therefore essential to our Smith holds the positions of Vice-Chancellor of the University of future success.” We’re lucky in this issue to be able to hear the experiences of a recent starter, Beam London and Deputy Chair of the UK Statistics Authority. Diamond Light Source is a joint venture between the UK Diagnostics Physicist Lorraine Bobb. We also give summaries of the monthly supplier The breadth and depth of Sir Adrian’s experience in science Government, via the Science and Technology Facilities Council exhibitions, and the big science workshops of 2014, including the SRUM. and research, academia and politics make him the ideal candidate (STFC), and the , with shareholdings of 86% and Events and engagement for the role as Chairman of the facility. Sir Adrian’s appointment 14% respectively. We finish with a look into some of our education and engagement work. The Inside coincides with a rapid period of development for Diamond, with 9 Diamond open day for the public is always a winner, due to the brilliant input from Diamond's monthly supplier exhibitions new experimental stations scheduled for delivery between 2014- Professor John Womersley, STFC Chief Executive, says: “There individuals across all areas at Diamond and a growing band of enthusiastic user groups 19 2018, and with the construction of a new cutting-edge electron is wide agreement that scientific and technological excellence are Workshops summary 2014 keen to highlight their research to our visitors. Wrapping up, we feature this year’s microscopy facility for both the life and the physical sciences critical to the UK’s future prosperity in an increasingly globalised knowledge economy. These are challenging but exciting times, and cohort of keen and incredibly smart summer placement students. They brought a buzz underway. A glimpse into our public open days Sir Adrian’s broad knowledge of political, scientific and Research around the place, and we’re very much looking forward to announcing the winners of Sparkling students brighten Diamond Sir Adrian comments: “I am delighted to have this opportunity Council demands makes him an exceptionally good choice for their Science Communicators Awards in due course. to contribute to the next phase of development of Diamond, steering Diamond’s future course. I very much look forward to maintaining and enhancing its position as a leading-edge scientific working with him again.” So as the nights start to draw in, we hope you enjoy this round up of our news and facility and ensuring that the knowledge generated at the facility is events. As ever we welcome your comments on how we can better serve our user widely disseminated in academe and industry, and fully exploited Dr , Director of the Wellcome Trust said: “Professor community, and if you have any research you feel could be highlighted by us, then for the wider public good.” Sir Adrian Smith is an excellent appointment who brings a wealth please do get in touch. Dates for the diary of knowledge and expertise about Diamond Light Source, and Diamond’s CEO, Professor Andrew Harrison, adds: “We are the needs of large, world-leading facilities, with him. Diamond is Silvana Westbury, extremely pleased to welcome Sir Adrian Smith as Chairman of the highly valued by the UK research community and we continue to Acting Head of Communications 24 Board. His wealth of experience in science – practice and policy – be supportive of the facility and the successful partnership with and proven track record of influencing change will be a great asset the STFC.”

2 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 3 News

Diamond looks to the future Standing still is not an option. If we want year after he was appointed CEO, Andrew Harrison has high lead? He explains: “We need to talk openly about the organisation to remain a world- hopes for the future of the UK’s synchrotron. But as we move and whether the structures that were initially put in place are still A beyond Phase III of construction, what are Andrew’s long- appropriate now that we’re a much larger facility. And it may be leading science term plans for the facility, and what does the future hold for Diamond that they are, but we can’t take that for granted. It’s also important Light Source? to remember that after seven years of operation, we now have facility then we The persistent need to evolve is inherent to synchrotron science. beamlines that were conceived over a decade ago. We need to have to be open to Diamond’s mission statement affirms the importance of providing anticipate upgrades in certain areas.” “a leading edge facility for scientific research”; and in order to “Standing still is not an option. If we want to remain a world- reassessment and remain world-leading, there is a need to be constantly looking ahead leading science facility then we have to be open to reassessment and advancing. Andrew maintains that the values of versatility and and renewal. So how do we best adapt to face future scientific renewal. resilience are embedded within Diamond’s organisational culture, and technical challenges? That’s what this consultation is about. helping it to stay ahead of the curve. He observes: “One of the This isn’t something that we can just do internally. It’s crucial that first things I noticed about Diamond was the overwhelming sense we engage with the user community. It’s very healthy that these of positivity and ambition. The organisation feels very young and discussions are also held with external experts, and that we bear dynamic, and open minded too about how we might grow and in mind the developments taking place at other facilities. We’re not progress.” operating in isolation because we’re part of a network of synchrotron The pace of change at Diamond is currently evident in the facilities throughout Europe, and it’s important that we complement proliferation of construction equipment and high-vis jackets around and reflect other institutions with which we share an affinity.” the site. There are 24 beamlines now operational, and this number “And it’s not just Diamond that we have to think about. We’re will rise to 33 once Phase III of construction is completed in 2018. part of a wider science and innovation site, and we need to ensure Upcoming developments on the Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Harwell is truly a campus in spirit as well as in name. It’s vital that (RIXS) beamline (I21), Versatile Soft X-ray (VERSOX) beamline the 10-year vision looks at Diamond holistically, and considers (B07), and the dedicated X-PDF station (I15-1) will see Diamond Diamond in the wider context of its location and the support it gain a host of beamlines offering new approaches to scientific offers to users when they visit.” challenges. The construction of the Electron Microscopy Facility is a particularly interesting development for Diamond, as it will combine The ongoing consultation takes a long term view of what the three different elements – the Hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline challenges are, and will help to form the basis of the 10-year vision. (I14), an electron imaging centre for biology, and an electron But in order to deliver, Diamond needs a strategy to put ideas into microscopy centre for physical sciences – under one roof. The new action. Discussions are currently taking place amongst scientists facility is the first project at Diamond that seeks to co-locate both and engineers. Following this consultation, over 60 external figures synchrotron and non-synchrotron facilities. This physical proximity will take part in an upcoming 10-year Vision Meeting with a view will create new synergies in efforts to tackle common problems in to refining the practical steps that will help Diamond to achieve image analysis and sample handling; what’s more, the novel set the 10-year vision; industrial stakeholders will also be involved in up demonstrates Diamond’s evolving approach to the services it this meeting through the Diamond Industrial Science Committee provides. (DISCo). A discussion with funding bodies will take place at the end of the year, and the December board meeting will see the 10- Andrew explains: “We’re moving into a new phase for Diamond year vision and attendant strategy presented to Diamond’s key as we approach the final stages of Phase III construction. That stakeholders. When finalised, the 10-year vision will underpin brings with it new challenges and probably new ways of working all future decisions for the further development and operation of together.” To determine Diamond’s direction post-Phase III, Andrew Diamond Light Source. has, with his fellow directors, launched a consultation, bringing in stakeholders, scientists, technicians, and funding bodies. Any Andrew concludes: “Whenever change is involved there’s a changes will have implications for everyone involved in Diamond, mixture of feelings because it may take us out of our comfort zone, and so everyone should be involved in this process. The ongoing and that can be unsettling. But it’s also a hugely exciting state of discussions will help to formulate a 10-year vision of the scientific affairs for Diamond, embarking on this next stage of the journey. and societal challenges that could be met through measurements Inherent in the of synchrotron science is the fact that we at Diamond, and the technical developments that will enable us to have to keep looking forward. And that’s a positive thing. It’s one of do so. They will also establish a strategy to help achieve these goals. the key things that makes us alive as a facility.” “This is a conversation that needs to involve everybody”, Andrew “You can see that people cherish Diamond because they feel observes. “One of our great strengths at Diamond is the diversity of excited and proud of what we do. It comes back to being remarkable. backgrounds and perspectives amongst our stakeholders and staff. We’re doing all that we can to stay just as pioneering as we were That variety ensures that we have a broad range of ways of looking when we first started taking users, and that’s what will guarantee at challenges. There’s a real richness to the discussions we’ve been our longevity, that’s what will keep us remarkable.” having, because people come with an array of different experiences As ever, we welcome the views and opinions of Diamond's users and skill-sets. We’re already well on our way to becoming a world- and stakeholders, as well as from the wider scientific community. leading facility for scientific research, and this strategy is designed If you would like to share your thoughts on our future plans, please to strengthen that position.” contact the Acting Head of Communications, Silvana Westbury: But what sort of change does Andrew envision for Diamond in [email protected] the coming decade, and where are current discussions likely to

4 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 5 News Nanoprobe beamline and pioneering electron microscopy facility come into focus

years we are looking forward to developing a collaborative science An exciting new hub for cutting-edge materials and life science research project which exploits the capabilities of the beamline and electron is well on its way to being built at Diamond. The new building, which is microscope facilities.” Bringing the Electron imaging centre for biology and the under construction next to the Imaging and Coherence beamline (I13), Electron microscopy centre for physical sciences to the campus is a significant step forward for Diamond. The new model brings will house the Hard X-ray Nanoprobe beamline (I14) along with the in different facilities and expertise from across academia and industry. Housing three different facilities under one roof will allow Electron imaging centre for biology and the Electron microscopy centre new synergies to emerge between different techniques and areas for physical sciences. of research. This holistic approach to science, underpinned by co-location I14, which will provide world-leading experimental facilities for and expertise that will complement Diamond’s current capabilities. and collaboration, will not only enhance Diamond’s existing array of micro-nano SAXS and nanoscale microscopy, is the third of four The powerful cryo-electron microscopes will help scientists to leading-edge facilities, but is also set to make a lasting impression beamlines at Diamond to extend beyond the iconic silver ring. To look into the structure of cells to reveal molecular make-up and on the future of funding and research partnerships in the UK. maximise the distance from the focusing optic to the sample, I14 will provide new tools to visualise single bio-molecules. substantial dedicated peer reviewed user access. This collaboration will reach approximately 185m from the main building. will create stronger links between Diamond as a research centre In addition, the Electron microscopy centre for physical sciences and universities and industry. The expertise and equipment that The beamline will provide a state-of-the-art facility in which a will include a pair of JEOL electron microscopes. Complementing Johnson Matthey, Oxford and Diamond are bringing together will focused X-ray spot is positioned or scanned over a sample in order the beamline information, the electron microscopes will show provide the nucleus for the community to come together and to obtain structural and chemically-specific information on a full the identity, ordering and chemical state of atoms in the sample, address important future challenges. Diamond’s CEO Andrew range of materials. The potential applications are extremely varied through EDX, EELS, atomic scale imaging, and electron diffraction. Harrison emphasises the importance of fostering relationships This development is part of and include materials science in areas such as new polymers, The potential of today’s advanced materials depends on the with external experts; “This development is part of a more general magnetic and nano-structured materials, Earth and environmental structures and properties that arise from collections of atoms trend to build strategic partnerships with industry and universities, a more general trend to build science and geochemistry, with potential research topics including interacting in their local environment. In automotive emissions often underpinned by investment in complementary equipment or aerosols, minerals, sediments, soils, and bio-remediation. control catalysts, fuel cells, chemical process technology and people, to exploit more fully our synchrotron facilities.” strategic partnerships with battery materials, the collections of atoms are the chemically active Complementing these capabilities will be the Electron imaging industry and universities, sites, and characterising those leads to better understanding and Progress on the new facilities has been rapid and successful with centre for biology, a collaboration between Diamond, Birkbeck improved design. At greater length scales, active site interactions occupation of the building due in Summer 2015. Orders for the College and Oxford University, comprising two cryo-electron often underpinned by with framework materials such as graphene, zeolites or complex electron microscopes and support equipment have been placed and microscopes dedicated to the biological sciences. This new centre ceramics provide controlled transmission of chemical effects from I14’s internal hutches and cabins are now complete. Installation of investment in complementary is funded by a £15.6 million grant from the Wellcome Trust, the clusters of atoms to bulk material properties. the I14 beamline has started with major components starting to Medical Research Council, and the Biotechnology and Biological arrive from suppliers, and soon the concrete that will make up the equipment or people. Sciences Research Council. It will operate like a beamline and, The two microscopes for the physical sciences centre will external hutches will be poured. Paul Quinn, I14’s Principal Beamline although not connected to the powerful , it be supplied by Johnson Matthey and Oxford University and Scientist, comments; "The project is going well and over the coming will provide scientists with state-of-the-art experimental equipment operated under strategic collaboration agreements to provide for

6 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 7 News The UK-XFEL Hub at Diamond

he UK is taking a leading role in the development of a new structural biology facility at the European X-ray Free Electron TLaser (XFEL) in Hamburg, Germany, and the UK-XFEL Hub, a complementary facility at Diamond, to help develop the required expertise. The UK is a leading member of the serial femtosecond crystallography user consortium (SFX-UC), and through its role in the collaboration will deliver a dual instrument at the European XFEL. This will enable visiting scientific users to image macromolecules from nanocrystals on the SFX instrument and single particles using the scattering of coherent X-rays, detecting the coherent diffraction pattern on the SPB instrument. Serial femtosecond crystallography (SFX) was the term coined to describe the protocols used to collect the first diffraction data from nanocrystals at the LCLS in Stanford, USA. Scientists there were One of the first structures solved using X-ray FEL pulses was the photosystem I able to exploit the ultrashort pulses generated by LCLS to collect complex, which is key to photosynthesis. The experiments with ultrashort X-ray pulses used to obtain this electron density map (purple mesh) proved the concept of single shot diffraction images from nanocrystals. Diffraction from “diffraction before destruction” to avoid radiation damage, especially of metal centres such small crystals was made possible due to the high brilliance such as the iron-sulphur cluster shown in red. of the beam (many orders of magnitude more than achievable at a synchrotron). The SFX-UC brings together members of the scientific communities in Germany, United Kingdom, Sweden, Slovakia, Switzerland, United States, and Australia. The UK efforts of the SFX consortium are led by the University of St Andrews and Diamond Light Source, and funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), and the Medical Research Council (MRC), along with a number of European partners. Diamond’s Life Sciences Director Professor Dave Stuart, and Dr Martin Walsh, Diamond’s Life Sciences Coordinator, will lead the development of a UK hub for scientists using SFX at the European XFEL. Chair of the SFX-UC and lead applicant on the UK proposal, Professor James Naismith of the University of St Andrews, says: “This is an exciting prospect for structural biologists in the UK. The incredible insight that the SFX facility will give us into the function and behaviour of important biomolecules can potentially form a basis for the development of future medicines, such as antiviral the SFX facility to fully prepare for their experiments in Hamburg. Over five years between 2014 and 2019 the UK funders will drugs, and goes beyond what is currently possible with today’s In-house experts will work with the researchers to ensure that their contribute £5.64M to the construction of SFX at the European technology. SFX will help us to tackle medical problems which have experimental samples are suitable and flight-ready before sending XFEL. As a lead partner in the SFX consortium, the UK will secure so far been out of our reach.” them off for transit. There will also be a dedicated fibre-optic link dedicated time during the five year development, and develop The UK is a world leader in crystallography, a technique from Hamburg to Harwell enabling researchers to carry out data significant expertise in this game-changing technique at the UK hub that has revolutionised biology. It has led to effective treatments for analysis back in the UK. at Diamond. Following this, the UK will be eligible for open access HIV, new antibiotics, new vaccines (including progress on foot-and- time after peer review, which is likely to be extremely competitive on Professor Stuart says: “The mouth disease), several Nobel prizes, and with the breakthrough in an international scale. Having secured dedicated time as part of the UK hub, housed within the the structure of G protein-coupled receptors, whole new families of SFX consortium, and developed expertise at the hub, UK scientists existing Diamond infrastructure, medicines. However there are still many problems yet to be solved. are likely to be well placed to secure experimental time. will include a dedicated senior Professor Stuart, who is also the MRC Professor of Structural scientist and a postdoctoral Professor Naismith concludes: “It is important that the UK Biology at the Department of Medicine University of Oxford, fellow to facilitate the use of engage in the European XFEL, which will likely become the world says: “Some of the most challenging problems in biomedicine XFELs by the UK community. leader and experimental time will be highly competitive. For the UK involve or viruses which do not give crystals suitable for Support will be offered in terms to stay at the cutting-edge, a UK XFEL may be needed to ensure examination with current technology. XFELs may radically change of sample preparation, data that our science base can access the facilities they need. Building a this. The light they produce is so intense it can resolve even the processing, and training. This is strong UK base now is vital for developing capacity to pave the way most weakly diffracting samples. The pulses of light are so fast vital because the experimental for an XFEL in the UK.” that the atoms appear stationary to the pulse and we capture the set-up and protocols required An artist's impression of the method of serial femtosecond crystallography, which For more information on the UK-XFEL Hub, please contact is used to determine structural information from crystals too small for conventional information we need before the sample is destroyed. The same are not routine at synchrotron Artist's impression of the European XFEL [email protected] methods. The crystals flow across the focused X-ray beam in a microjet and diffrac- principle underpins stroboscopic lighting which appears to produce which is currently under construction in facilities, and this capacity tion snapshots are obtained pulse by pulse. The patterns are later combined and used Hamburg, Germany. The UK-XFEL Hub will to build up the 3D image of the molecule. freeze frame images of a moving object.” must be developed to optimise serve as a valuable resource for UK users experimental time at the Anton Barty, CFEL DESY of the European XFEL’s SFX beamline. The UK hub, which will be based at Diamond, will enable users of European XFEL.”

8 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 9 Autumn feature The next generation of optical technology is being developed using measurement of photons with respect to a reference signal. In expert micro-fabrication techniques on Diamond’s material namesake. addition, the energy of a photon can be measured with the time-over- X-ray optics made of diamond are almost completely transparent threshold method. over a wide wavelength range, they possess high strength and Excalibur: A large area photon counting direct detection detector thermal conductivity, and are subject to very low thermal expansion. We work closely with internal with 55 µm pixel size, commissioned on the Imaging and Coherence The design and fabrication of nanocrystalline and polycrystalline beamline (I13) in 2013. This detector can be used across a number diamond refractive lenses using a novel moulding technique has and commercial partners of beamlines, and the main features are: small pixel size, guaranteed allowed the group to demonstrate sub-200nm focused beams, with by the Medipix3 ASIC; large area, obtained by tiling 48 Medipix3 large aperture (100 µm) and high peak transmission efficiencies to develop novel beamline ASICs for a total of over 3 million pixels; over 2,000 pixels continuous (57%). Technological challenges in developing these lenses are being in one direction, given by record length silicon sensors; and 1,000 designs and next generation progressively overcome and it is expected that these diamond nano- frames per second frame rate, obtained with a fully parallel read-out focusing lenses will be used on several beamlines in near future. optics, and to rigorously test architecture. B16 Test beamline: A flexible and versatile beamline operating Merlin: A high performance detector that requires no additional since 2008 and has been extremely successful to help develop their capabilities. cooling system and, being around the size of a mobile phone, is enabling optics and detector technologies by providing unique easily installed into small spaces. Merlin is capable of taking 1,200 Kawal Sawhney, Head of the Optics and and timely test facilities to both in-house and external users. The frames per second in burst mode and 100 frames per second in emphasis on in-house X-ray optics and detector development is Metrology Group continuous mode with no dead time between frames. Merlin is the complemented by a strong portfolio of external user research. standard development platform of the Detector Group for Medipix3 Recently, an ongoing collaboration between and assemblies, and is now commercialised by the STFC-Diamond spin- Diamond broke new ground in understanding the X-ray birefringence out company Quantum Detectors. phenomenon.1 With its ability to accommodate novel experimental environments and bespoke beam requirements, the users on B16 Lancelot: A beam position monitor built in collaboration with were able to demonstrate the viability of X-ray Birefringence Imaging, the University of Manchester’s School of Electrical and Electronic Enabling technology: The groups which examines the spatial distribution and orientation of molecules Engineering. The device helps to monitor the alignment of the within a given material. micrometer-sized X-ray beams as they travel, first through the instrumentation that refines them and then on to the samples being The Detector Group gives support and assistance in the provision studied. In essence the device is a pinhole X-ray camera that makes keeping Diamond ahead of the game of specialised X-ray detectors at Diamond. This ranges from images of the beam by recording the scattered radiation from thin, purchasing off-the-shelf detectors to developing completely new weakly scattering foils. A unique feature of the instrument is that detector systems. Along with the ongoing detector support work it provides enlarged images with very detailed information of the across the beamlines, the group engages with a number of high- impinging X-ray beam including µm-sized beams. n 2004, two years prior to the first observation of synchrotron light in the newly built , two integral parts of the Diamond profile international collaborations to develop new technologies puzzle were put in place. As the building was pieced together, it was the measured work behind the scenes that gave foundation to in response to the ever-evolving applications within Diamond and XSPRESS2 and XPRESS3: Digital pulse processors for Iour beamline technologies, and allowed the UK to stride confidently into the world of third-generation lightsources. around the world. spectroscopy grade detectors such as germanium multi-element Whilst creating and storing the beam would provide one of the central challenges, there also needed to be a steady focus on the final stages detectors or silicon drift detectors. Xpress2 was developed in of the beam’s journey. To condition the source beam, and capture the consequences of its interaction with a given sample, it was crucial to The day to day work of the Detector Group is supported by a suite collaboration with STFC based on the Xpress system originally understand and develop the right technology to harness this radiation as effectively as possible. of specialised labs based within the synchrotron building. These developed for SRS (Daresbury). It has been further developed in consist of an X-ray set, a detector lab, and an electronics workshop collaboration with Quantum Detectors to become the commercial It was the establishment of two key groups at Diamond, tasked with developing these enabling technologies, that first made the exploitation with a probe station under clean area conditions. product Xpress3. These systems maximise the throughput and of the beam possible, and both have since played a leading role in the expansion of applications on a global scale. The Medipix collaboration: A major part of our work is the energy resolution of such detectors and remove the bottleneck at the collaboration with Medipix, which Diamond joined in 2007. This readout stage. This detector can open up the beamline to much faster The Optics & Metrology Group (O&MG) provide expert support vibrational stability for testing micro and nano-positioning beamline international collaboration with 21 institutions worldwide, and works data collection, as its dynamic range can reduce the number of scans to Diamond beamlines in the design, procurement, acceptance systems. towards developing new Application-Specific Integrated Circuit required and save time with attenuation selection. testing, and optimisation of all beamline optics. To extend Diamond’s High-accuracy characterisation of real X-ray optics is a (ASIC) chips to improve beamline imaging capabilities. Diamond’s capabilities and continue to push our performance levels even higher, particular area of interest both for quality control and novel device involvement has led to the group having an extremely sound From the early years of Diamond’s construction, the two the group engages actively in research and development for novel development, and the ultimate test of an X-ray optic is how it knowledge of all the technologies that make up a photon counting groups that drive our enabling technologies have grown up X-ray optics and specialised optical systems. performs on the beamline. Therefore it is crucial to characterise the detector. The impact of this work is now emerging, with the systems alongside the phased developments, expanding their knowledge Modelling beamline optics: The O&MG works closely with optics at the specific wavelength for which it will be used. In situ deployed across Diamond’s beamlines and useful to a large number base on the way and answering those difficult questions posed beamline teams to advance the optical design of their respective wavefront sensing performed at the optics’ operating wavelength of different applications. by users. Today, each group continues to play a major role in the beamlines. The designs and challenges of each beamline are different (‘at-wavelength’ metrology) can be used not only to optimise the development of novel design projects, and tests the boundaries The latest ASIC from the Medipix family is the Medipix3, a CMOS and careful detailed simulations of optics schemes are performed to performance of X-ray optics, but also to correct and minimise the of our technology through international collaborations with pixel detector read-out chip designed to be connected to a segmented arrive at a tailor-made optical layout. As well as using available optics collective distortions of upstream beamline optics. academic and commercial partners. semiconductor sensor. It acts as a camera taking images based on simulation software, the group develops in-house simulation tools. In Developing Novel Optics: Because Diamond uses more bimorph the number of particles which hit the pixels when the electronic Together with the day-to-day technical support given to the last few years, the group has made significant contributions to an mirrors than any other synchrotron, the group has spent significant shutter is open. Medipix3 is used in Diamond’s Excalibur and Merlin Diamond’s 24 operational beamlines, both the Optics and international collaboration developing software for wave modelling of time and effort to understand their performance. The demand for nano- detector systems, and Lancelot beam positioning monitor. Metrology Group and Detector Group have made major X-ray beamlines. focusing optics and mirrors with sub-nm figure errors has given rise technological breakthroughs over the years. It’s this constant The next generation chip being developed by the Medipix Metrology at Diamond: All beamline optics are acceptance- to a need for X-ray optics capable of producing user-specified sizes innovation that has allowed us to remain at the forefront of collaboration is the Timepix3, a read-out ASIC with the same pitch tested in the metrology cleanroom before being installed. Because that range from sub-micron to 100 μm. As a result, a novel super- synchrotron research, and will continue to push Diamond onward and format of Medipix3 (55 µm pitch, 256x256 pixels) but with of increasingly tight optical specifications and the growing demand polished adaptive bimorph mirror has been developed by the O&MG. as we move beyond Phase III. very different functionalities. Timepix3 enables the time of arrival for complicated surface profiles, almost one in five procured optics In situ characterisation with synchrotron radiation on Diamond’s Test are rejected and returned to manufacturers for replacement or beamline (B16) and optimisation using at-wavelength metrology refurbishment. Without the in-house quality control of procured have validated the performance of this prototype optics. The results “We are there at the conception of each new beamline and advise on optics, inadequate equipment could be installed, and performance of this development will soon be applied to user experiments at the degradation over time could go undiagnosed. The group’s metrology I24 MX micro-focus beamline, which is now replacing its present those technologies best suited to the beamline’s requirements. Each capabilities were further enhanced with the establishment of a new micro-focusing mirrors with super-polished ones. Precision Metrology Lab, which provides temperature, humidity, and beamline presents a unique challenge, and their evolving needs are what

1 Palmer B. A. et al. X-ray birefringence imaging. Science 344(6187), 1013-1016 (2014). DOI: 10.1126/science.1253537 Full story: http://bit.ly/1qLVv6w keep us moving forward.” Nicola Tartoni, Head of the Detector Group

10 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 11 Focus on Phase III

Zhongkai Liu, one of the lead researchers on the published article, from Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Phase III beamline updates Sciences.

ne of the most exciting things about Diamond is that it is a catalyst for change. The facility is changing the world Othrough the scientific discoveries its users and in-house researchers are making and, at the same time, changing itself through a continual programme of upgrades, new beamlines, and complementary off-line facilities. In October 2010, the UK Government confirmed funding for Phase III, to provide for the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of a further ten state-of-the-art beamlines. Due for completion by 2018, Left to right: Matthew Hand, they will bring the total number of beamlines to 33, ultimately Optics Scientist; John The new graphene strengthening and deepening the breadth of scientific research Emmins, Senior Electrical enabled by the Diamond synchrotron. Project Engineer; Kejin Zhou, Principal Beamline Scientists at Diamond have discovered a new material which could revolutionise consumer technology. Scientist; George Howell, B21: Solution State SAXS Senior Mechanical Project Engineer. Operational he discovery of a new material with unique electronic but, importantly, it is also 3D, making it easier to use. This hybrid B21 enables the study of macromolecular assemblies in solution differences between the incident and the outgoing X-rays, one can properties could help lead to significantly faster material could thus potentially revolutionise technology, helping us for use across a wide range of biological and biomedical applications. obtain information such as the local lattice structure (local crystal Tsmartphones and computers. The novel material combines to develop gadgets that are smaller, quicker, and less power hungry. The B21 beamline is a Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) instrument field), electron orbitals (orbital excitations), and collective lattice existing substances to create a new super-material with exciting Yulin Chen, corresponding author of the article published in that is the only technique that gives you the complete structural (phonons), magnetic (magnons) and charge excitations of materials industrial uses. picture of the thermodynamic state. Currently in optimisation mode, under investigation. The key research activity of the beamline focuses Nature Materials, comments: “With this type of novel material, we Graphene is one of the most interesting materials in science. users will be able to send in samples by post (mail-in) for remote on condensed matter physics and materials science, especially highly are entering a new understanding of what technology can do. This A single sheet of carbon atoms, it is an exceptionally thin nano- data collection experiments, with a scattering vector range of 0.004- correlated electronic systems and new functional materials such as discovery could be the first step in heralding a new age of superfast material which is highly conductive over a very small area. As it is 0.42 Å-1. By early 2015, its capabilities will expand to accommodate Mott insulators, high-temperature superconductivity, oxide thin films, and energy-economic electronic and spintronic applications, such only one atom thick, graphene could be used in technology without measurements as large as 5000 Å. B21 has been designed with high catalysts, graphene etc. The technique can be potentially extended as computer chips and hard drives with unprecedented speed and taking up much space, potentially helping us to create devices that throughput in mind and is currently utilising the EMBL designed to study problems in chemistry, geology and biology. First light is capacity.” are much quicker and smaller. However graphene is also very thin – BioSAXS robot. Software is being developed through the GDA expected in 2016, followed by first users in spring 2017. in fact it’s two-dimensional – meaning that it’s also difficult to work framework and Scatter, which will allow a fully automated collection, with. Scientists sometimes have to stack many layers of graphene reduction, and analysis process for each sample measured. B07: Versatile Soft X-rays (VERSOX) on top of one another before it is usable, and even then it may still Under construction not be practically viable as a material. VERSOX will be a highly versatile soft X-ray beamline with two end But now, a team of scientists from the University of Oxford have stations, one for High Throughput (HT) and an Ambient Pressure (AP) used Diamond’s I05 beamline, which offers angle-resolved photo- end station, that will jointly support a wide community of users. B07 emission spectroscopy (ARPES), to discover a new type of material will employ two main techniques, Near-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine that has the electronic properties of graphene but is much more Structure (NEXAFS) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), to easy to use. The new material is three-dimensional, thus eliminating carry out investigations in a wide range of scientific fields, including the need to deal with atomically thin 2D sheets of atoms. heterogeneous catalysis, pharmaceuticals and biomaterials under The super-material can be viewed as a hybrid of the 3D version realistic conditions, electronic and photonic materials, environmental of graphene and a topological insulator. This combination leads the and space science on liquids/ices, and heritage conservation. in the materials to form a ‘3D Dirac-fermion’, meaning that Currently the AP end station is under construction on I09 where it will they behave like photons instead of like regular electrons in normal The group carried out their work at Diamond on the I05 ARPES also be commissioned and available to users in 2015. It is expected materials. So the electronic properties in the new substance are beamline, which is dedicated to the study of electronic structures Left to right: James Doutch, Senior Support Scientist; Mark Tully, Postdoctoral Research to be operational on B07 by the end of 2016. of solids and their surfaces. These capabilities are invaluable to Associate; Katsuaki Inoue, Senior Beamline Scientist; Robert Rambo, Principal Beamline different from those in other materials, like in metals such as gold Scientist. or iron. scientists studying next generation materials, often at the atomic scale. This unique collective behaviour of electrons causes them to I21: Resonant Inelastic Soft X-ray ‘forget’ their mass, meaning that they can move much faster than Moritz Hoesch is principal beamline scientist on I05. He electrons in normal materials. In addition to this, the electronic comments: “This is a really exciting time to be working in materials Scattering (RIXS) structures also have non-trivial topological properties, meaning science, because every few years a new class of samples is created which have fascinating novel properties. Using the facilities at Under construction that they behave like topological insulators, in which the spin of the surface electrons is locked with their momentum (and thus Diamond, we can apply multiple research techniques to these The I21 beamline is a dedicated Resonant Inelastic Soft X-ray the electric current) direction. This relationship is a much desired materials and quickly understand the underlying mechanisms. Scattering (RIXS) facility at Diamond Light Source which is currently property for the applications of spintronics, a new area of research This is hugely satisfying because we further the science and open under construction as part of Phase III. The beamline will be 81 m long, that looks to exploit both the spin and the momentum of electrons routes to new applications that are likely to have a real impact on the with its endstation and spectrometer accommodated in a dedicated to create more efficient technology. consumer a few years down the line.” external building adjacent to the main synchrotron building. A highly Related publication: monochromatised, i.e. very narrow in energy bandwidth, spatially Together, the combination of the 3D Dirac-fermion and the non- trivial topological characteristic makes this unusual material capable focused and tunable incident X-ray beam will be provided, together Left to right: Chris Stephens, Beamline Technician; Liam Deacon, Support Scientist; Liu Z. K. et al. A stable three-dimensional topological Dirac semi- Georg Held, Principal Beamline Scientist. of conducting electricity in a highly efficient way. Furthermore, with a long (~15 m) and rotatable spectrometer with correspondingly metal Cd3As2. Nature Materials 13 677-681 (2014). high resolving power. By studying the energy and momentum the material also enables its surface electrons to carry magnetic DOI: 10.1038/nmat3990 information through their spin. The substance is much like graphene

12 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 13 Focus on Phase III Focus on science Building the future on I08 Live cells in action: Visualising cellular What does it take to construct a synchrotron beamline? metabolism via infrared imaging

iamond Light Source is one of the world’s most advanced operation a full year ahead of schedule.” He continues: “So much scientific machines, and its goal is to remain a world work has gone into creating this excellent facility, I am confident ontrol of cell life-sustaining chemistry, so-called cellular leading centre for science. Construction is still ongoing at I08 will provide scientists with services that are world-leading. All metabolic activity, is a current target for pharmacological D studies. For example, one line of research for developing the synchrotron, and every year we deliver new and innovative this would not have been possible without the excellent teamwork at C facilities to support scientists at the cutting-edge of research. Diamond. I wish to use this exciting moment to express my deepest novel cancer treatments is the possibility to manipulate cancer thanks to all who contributed to this project.” cells and interfere with their dramatic growing metabolism. To The newest beamline to make use of Diamond’s intense light is select and test new drug candidates, medical scientists need I08, Scanning X-ray microscopy, which is a multi-modal spectro- I08’s first users are a group from the London Centre for tools that allow them to quantify the effectiveness of such new microscopy beamline, headed by Principal Beamline Scientist Nanotechnology at UCL. The first users stress-tested the beamline molecules on cellular metabolism. Researchers have been (PBS) Burkhard Kaulich. This beamline will offer scientists a by applying novel phase-sensitive X-ray imaging techniques to the able to achieve such information on living cells by using the combination of facilities that do not exist together anywhere else study of chromosomes undergoing mitosis: the process by which Multimode InfraRed Imaging And Microspectroscopy (MIRIAM) in the world. cells divide into two genetically identical daughter cells. Whilst the beamline B22 at Diamond. Diamond’s phase III funding will allow the facility double-helix structure of DNA is already known Results published in Biophysical Chemistry have shown that with to expand to 33 beamlines; there are currently 24 to scientists, there is still a lot to learn about Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) in imaging mode, it is possible in operation. This means that it is imperative to use the nanoscale structure. It has not so far been to investigate biochemical processes in living cells that are related Distribution of isotopically sensitive bands in the proximity of cells at t = 0, 100 and up the remaining space with beamlines that will possible to view the structure of chromosomes at to their metabolic activity. Detailed molecular information has been 200 min after the start of the measurement. The maps are built from plots of the a really minute level, but I08 may provide the tools 2nd derivative. The colour-coded scale is in units of 2nd derivative of absorbance. advance the cause of science, and make the best use thus obtained following in vivo the exchange processes between the A - B: distribution of the δHOD band component at 1450 cm− 1 at 0, 100 and 200 min of the synchrotron’s impressive light. For Burkhard necessary to observe biological matter in never- cell and the aqueous environment where it is kept. respectively. C - D: distribution of the Amide II′ band component at 1463 cm− 1 at 0, and his team, years of hard work and waiting have before-seen detail. As such, this new avenue of 100 and 200 min respectively. The colour intensity scales are different for each figure and reported beside each of them. come to fruition as his new beamline, I08, has now research could provide a better understanding of Two of the research collaborators from Michigan State University been used for the first time. mitosis and potentially impact on treatments for and Pacific Northwest National Lab had previously shown - at at what rate the D isotope was incorporated into the proteins genetic diseases. macroscopic level and via water isotopic composition change - that inside the cell. This rate of H/D exchange, as it is formally called, As PBS, Burkhard has been involved from the the metabolic activity of cells influences the molecular composition is a quantity that is used to track the structural and functional beginning of the project. Since then, he and his The principal investigator of the UCL team, of the cellular environment1. With this being studied on bulk cell properties of proteins. team have been managing the construction of the Dr. Graeme Morrison, describes the group’s cultures, IR imaging at Diamond was then used to see what is This second part of the experiment is the one for which beamline for over three years, watching it grow into a cutting-edge excitement at being the first scientists to make use of Diamond’s happening microscopically at the single cell level. FTIR spectro- synchrotron radiation brightness and the performance of the facility. I08 offers a very broad photon energy range, meaning new beamline: “The combination of capabilities this facility provides microscopy is extremely sensitive to both the molecular and isotopic MIRIAM beamline were critical. As Dr Quaroni explained, “B22 that a considerable variety of chemical elements can be studied is entirely unique, and it may open up new avenues of research that composition of the provides excellent signal-to-noise ratio spectra, and has a great on the beamline. The beamline also offers a multiple detection were not possible before.” Graeme was one of the main proposers sample, and it was setup for imaging experiments with synchrotron IR light. This is scheme for high-resolution imaging using absorption, differential of the Diamond Scanning X-ray Microscopy project and is Chair expected that it exactly the type of experiment we needed to perform. Some of phase and darkfield contrasts, elemental mapping by micro X-ray of the I08 User Working Group. Professor Ian Robinson, group could follow real- the measurements in our work were simple, but others required fluorescence (XRF) and analysing the chemical states by near-edge leader of the UCL team adds: “We have shopped around for the time activity within as good a performance as possible, leading us to opt for this X-ray absorption fine-structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS), meaning best imaging facilities, and there are lot of reasons to be optimistic the cell. that more data can be captured with each experiment with lateral about what I08 can provide. We are honoured to be the first users.” synchrotron-based imaging experiment at Diamond.” The collaboration resolutions down to 20nm in some imaging modes, or elemental The scientific results from the study demonstrate that I08 is not limited to biological research, the facility is optimised team, which sensitivities down to one in a million atoms. Another important synchrotron-based IR imaging on living cells can be performed, for science from a broad range of applications, including included scientists feature of this facility is that specimens can be investigated in and that this approach is therefore a useful tool to study both environmental and earth science, geochemistry, biology and from the Paul standard user operation at liquid nitrogen temperatures, which metabolic turnover of cells and the properties of cellular proteins biotechnology, medicine and pharmacology, and material sciences. Scherrer Institut in helps to preserve the morphology of radiation sensitive materials in vivo. This experiment can be developed into an approach for Switzerland and the at very high X-ray photon fluxes. Burkhard comments: “I am delighted to get back into the heart quantifying metabolism in a cell, which might be used to test the MIRIAM beamline, of scientific research. Diamond attracts some of the world’s best effectiveness of pharmacological treatments that are aimed at Although each of these individual features exists on other grew fibroblast cells minds and most innovative research. What we do here helps to controlling cellular metabolism in vivo. beamlines and in other facilities internationally, having them all bring about real benefits to society, and it is extremely gratifying in Diamond’s Cell together in I08 makes it the only facility of its kind the world over. to be a part of that. But we do not stop here and will intensify now Culture Laboratory With the study of metabolic processes now possible in real time Burkhard is understandably proud of what his beamline offers: our work on building a novel soft X-ray diffraction microscope that on IR-transparent at single cell level, a wealth of new information on cell biology will “Creating this beamline has been a real team effort, and it is hugely complements the I08 scanning X-ray microscope and will bring the optical windows, and then moved them to a liquid cell sample become available as scientists learn to use this approach. exciting for all of us who have been involved to see it come into beamline even further.” holder for IR microscopy. Just before the measurement was taken, they exchanged the growth medium surrounding the fibroblasts To find out more about using the MIRIAM beamline B22 at with a new one isotopically enriched with a high concentration Diamond, or to discuss potential applications, please contact Dr Gianfelice Cinque: [email protected] (close to 100%) of heavy water (D2O). Because Deuterium (D) is initially outside the cell, by monitoring IR signal changes in time it is possible to track isotopic pathways in and out of the cell. Related publication (Open Access): Synchrotron light was thus used over time to collect IR images and Quaroni L. et al. Synchrotron based infrared imaging and spectroscopy via focal plane array on live fibroblasts in D O enriched medium. Biophysical Chemistry 189 high quality pixel-by-pixel absorption spectra of the fibroblasts. 2 40-48 (2014). DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2014.03.002 Dr Luca Quaroni, principal investigator at the Paul Scherrer *Present address Functional Genomics Center Zurich, Switzerland. Institut* said “The IR images allowed us to see how the isotopic composition of the medium surrounding the fibroblast cell was 1. Kreuzer-Martin H. W. et al. Oxygen isotopes indicate most intracellular water in altered by cellular metabolism”. These images showed gradients log-phase Escherichia coli is derived from metabolism. PNAS 102(48), 17337- of isotopic concentration (more or less H or D) forming in the 17341 (2005). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.050653110 proximity of the cell. The spectra also allowed the team to measure

14 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 15 Focus on science Raising the heat on superconductors Liquid dynamics under

esearchers have used high-energy X-ray powder Setting up the beamline to investigate the reaction proved to be diffraction to investigate the fundamental science one of the major challenges of the project. “Ammonia is a gas at the microscope Rbehind the transition of materials into high-temperature room temperature, so cooling it to look at the reactions was tricky” superconductors. explained Stefan Sedlmaier, of Oxford University. “Fortunately, we Superconductivity is where a material obtains zero electrical were able to work with the beamline scientists and the glassblower resistance as it is cooled below a certain transition temperature at Oxford Chemistry to create a special vessel in our labs, which (Tc). Superconducting magnets are used to make some of the could hold the liquid ammonia safely and allow us to pour in most powerful electromagnets, including in those used in MRI the FeSe powder to initiate the reaction while the solution was exposed to the intense, high-energy X-ray beam on I12.” CDFDW machines, as well as in Diamond’s own beam-steering magnets. D1 ∆φx × ∆φy Superconducting wires used in most applications superconduct This did mean moving a large part of his lab to Diamond in ∆Ei =0.25 meV y below 23 K and, in order to carry a sizeable electric current, order to load the reaction vessels. “Yes – this [moving the lab] was one of the most challenging elements of this project", continues ∆ψx ×∆ψy require cooling to near absolute zero temperatures (~4 K / -269 °C) z using liquid helium. The mechanism of superconductivity normally Stefan Sedlmaier, "but thankfully we were able to take advantage of x x-rays limits Tc to below 40 K. However there exist some so-called ‘high- the lab space opposite the I12 beamline.” Ei =9.13 keV temperature’ superconductors with Tcsof 40 K or above, including “The I12 beamline allowed us to collect data very quickly”, some where liquid nitrogen (77 K, -196 °C) may be used as the φy concludes Stefan Sedlmaier, “which was vital as this reaction only D2 coolant. occurs over the course of a few minutes at room temperature”. As liquid nitrogen is a relatively simple coolant to handle This fast pace was also mirrored in the speed of publication, with undulator diamond CDDW KB focusing analyzer system and use, the development of effective high-temperature just six months between beamtime and the article being published pre-monochromator monochromator mirror system superconductors will increase their usability in a vast range of in Journal of the American Chemical Society. equipment. The rapid data collection methods at Diamond allow otherwise Layout of the UHRIX instrument in the vertical (y,z) scattering plane showing all optical elements and all 15 deflections of the X-ray beam. Rotation of the analyser system in the horizontal plane (x,z) by an angle about the vertical y axis passing through the sample provides access to photons scattered with a momentum transfer Q=2k sin fleeting phases to be examined and characterised, with the y The researchers from the Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory of the ( y /2). (Shvyd’ko et al, 2014) University of Oxford, Diamond Light Source, and the ISIS Facility, results showing a promise of further molecular intercalates, used the Joint Engineering, Environmental, and Processing (JEEP) whilst expanding the range of iron-based high-temperature collaboration including scientists from Diamond Light rather more intricate. “The X-rays bounce about 15 times prior beamline (I12) to investigate the chemical reactivity and properties superconductors. Source have helped to develop a new tool to investigate to reaching the detector” explains Prof Collins, “which has to be of an iron-based superconductor. They developed a technique To find out more about using the I12 beamline, or to discuss A the liquid to glass transition – one of the lesser understood something of a record.” to investigate the chemical reaction where iron selenide (FeSe) areas of condensed matter physics. potential applications, please contact Principal Beamline Scientist By producing reliable data at 9 keV, this new spectrometer more than quintuples its transition temperature, which involves a Dr Michael Drakopoulos: [email protected] The work formed part of a collaboration between the Advanced reaction with a solution of the metal lithium in liquid ammonia. opens up the use of light sources such as Diamond and free- Photon Source (APS), USA, Diamond Light Source, and the electron lasers to investigate the liquid-glass transition and other By pouring the FeSe into a solution of lithium in liquid Hamburger Synchrotronstrahlungslabor ‘HASYLAB’, based at Related publication: unresolved problems in the physical and life sciences. ammonia at temperatures between -78 °C and room temperature, DESY, Germany. Prof Collins: “This transition is really interesting to us, as we the researchers used time-resolved X-ray powder diffraction to Sedlmaier S. J. et al. Ammonia-rich high-temperature Researchers from APS and Diamond came together nearly investigate how intercalates (layers within the crystalline structure superconducting intercalates of iron selenide revealed through don’t really understand the difference between liquid and glass seven years ago with the goal of making a very high resolution apart from the fact that one’s hard and the other isn’t!” of FeSe) formed. This resulted in the discovery of new crystalline time-resolved in situ X-ray and neutron diffraction. J Am Chem X-ray spectrometer which would work on a medium-energy superconductors with Tcs of about 40 K containing large amounts Soc. 136, 630-633 (2013). DOI: 10.1021/ja411624q synchrotron such as Diamond, and suitable for free-electron laser The whole spectrometer was tested at APS to study the of ammonia between the FeSe layers (see Figure). sources. dynamics of liquid glycerol, observing molecular dynamics at previously inaccessible length- and time-scales. In order to measure the very small changes in the energy of an X-ray as it bounces from a sample, a very high energy resolution Diamond’s Test Beamline B16 was used to trial the Intercalation of Li+ ions and spectrometer’s collimating optic, a component built at Diamond. ammonia / NH2- ions into – less than 1 millivolt, or a ten-millionth of the initial energy – is FeSe and the equilibrium required. This required a large amount of space, so the space and versatility between the ammonia- B16 offered was key to the researchers. poor and ammonia-rich Until now, this was beyond the capabilities of X-ray phases which are both high spectroscopy techniques, as the energy required was above what As synchrotron radiation produced by Diamond Light Source temperature (Tc ~ 40 K) sources like Diamond could offer, and even these techniques could is naturally highly collimated, the researchers actually tested the superconductors. The 2D optic ‘backwards’ to see the radiation focussed down to a point. film plot of powder XRD not provide such a good energy resolution. patterns conducted at I12 “If it works one way round – it should work the other way (bottom right) and the NH3 “The only person who’s ever come up with any sort of viable adsorption / desorption alternative technique to this standard approach is Yuri Shvyd’ko round” explains Professor Collins. isotherms (bottom left) (our collaborator at APS)” explains Professor Steve Collins, of accompany the chemical To find out more about using Test Beamline B16, or to discuss reaction and the equilibrium, Diamond Light Source. potential applications, please contact Principal Beamline Scientist respectively. “We’ve worked for nearly seven years, gradually developing Dr Kawal Sawhney: [email protected] concepts and helping build components at Diamond to test” continues Prof Collins. “A few months ago we put things together, Related publication: in what was probably one of the most complex beamline setups Shvyd’ko Y. et al. High-contrast sub-millivolt inelastic X-ray I’ve ever seen, but things proved to work very wel.” scattering for nano- and mesoscale science, Nat Comms 5 4219 The new spectrometer makes use of an atomic scale diffraction (2014). DOI:10.1038/ncomms5219 grating, analogous to a classical optical spectrometer setup, only

16 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 17 Focus on science Events and engagement Staff in the spotlight

orraine Bobb is a Beam Diagnostics Physicist at Diamond having arrived from CERN in June 2014. In the glamorous L surroundings of the beam diagnostics lab located in the ring, Lorraine tests optical arrangements and equipment using visible light extracted from the storage ring. Firstly, welcome to Diamond Lorraine! So tell us, how did you come to work here? Thanks! Well I studied MSci Physics at Royal Holloway, University of London, and since I grew up locally in West Berkshire, I had always wanted to visit and potentially work at Diamond Light Source. During my undergraduate degree, I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to work as a summer intern for a few months with the Diagnostics Group. My summer project involved prototyping a scanning knife edge instrument for beam stability measurements on beamlines. After completing my degree, I then went on to do a PhD at CERN where I was based for three years working on a feasibility study of using diffraction radiation for transverse beam size measurement on circular accelerators. Towards the end of my PhD I saw the job opportunity in the Beam Diagnostics Group at Diamond, and started here at the beginning of June 2014. What do you do here, and how does your experience help? In the Beam Diagnostics Group we provide instruments that are effectively the ‘eyes and ears’ of the machine. The instruments I work with diagnose the transverse size, bunch length and pattern of bunches of the electron beam in the storage ring to name a few examples. My experience in previous beam diagnostics projects has introduced me to many different instruments and techniques for obtaining measurements and also given me many transferable skills such as designing optical systems, installing hardware and improving instrument performance through hardware modifications, operation automation via software and improved data analysis. What’s your favourite thing about working at Diamond? Diamond’s monthly supplier There is always something interesting and new to learn about. Although I’m working with diagnostics instruments, which all have the same umbrella purpose - to tell us something about the exhibitions electron beam - there is such a variety! Each instrument is unique and different, with its own individual problems and limitations. I’m constantly reviewing these instruments for ways in which n Spring 2014, Diamond began hosting the first of its new “Over the years I have been aware that strong partnerships they could be improved, as well as researching completely new monthly supplier exhibitions. Held in the Diamond House between our suppliers and the staff here at Diamond can be of huge instruments that could be even better. I really feel like a physicist Iatrium, the events were created to encourage and nurture benefit, not only to ensure that Diamond receives the best products tinkering in the lab, learning something new each day. collaborations between staff and suppliers. On the first Monday and deals available, but that increased knowledge for both parties of every month, eight suppliers take the floor to demonstrate the can lead to new and innovative ways of executing the science that What advice would you give someone wanting to get involved in latest in technology and instrumentation, and discuss potential takes place here at Diamond.” your field? applications with Diamond staff. Vacuum specialists, motion control solutions, analytics, cameras, Beam diagnostics is a specialist field which combines skills These regular events not only offer our existing suppliers lasers, laboratory chemicals, production equipment, software and from both physics and engineering. You can often work on a opportunities to meet with staff to further advance their data acquisition are a few of the specialist organisations that have project from start to finish, and there is a complementary balance partnerships, but also offer new organisations a forum to present taken up the opportunity to attend a monthly supplier exhibition between theoretical and practical work. The summer internship Diamond staff with information about potential exciting advances at Diamond and there are plans for 2015 to create some tailored I did at Diamond allowed me to make an informed decision on in their field. events so that Diamond staff across all disciplines are given the whether a career in beam diagnostics was right for me, so I highly opportunity to meet with suppliers specific to their field of expertise. recommend applying to the summer student programme. Zoë Cattell in Diamond’s Communications team, who conceived and coordinates the events, has been overwhelmed by the interest shown from the suppliers.

18 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 19 Events and engagement Workshops summary 2014 A glimpse into our public open days n the weekend of the 14th and 15th of June 2014, Diamond scientists, machine technicians, software scientists, and specialist opened its doors to almost five hundred members of the science communicators, delighted visitors with their incredible iamond’s programme of scientific and technical workshops and conferences has been crammed full this year. We have so far Opublic. Attending one of 16 sessions over the two days, instrument descriptions, and took in more extended visits to the hosted 16 international conferences and workshops for over 836 delegates. they were treated to a variety of different activities. Membrane Protein Laboratory and one of our X-ray diffraction beamlines. D Each year, the ever-increasing programme of events aims to deliver the latest developments in techniques and fields of science To assist with our large influx of visitors, around 40 dedicated and technology relevant to our users, and expand awareness of our facility as we develop our next phase of beamlines. The four largest members of staff rolled up their sleeves to help out with running Once the groups had begun to return to the atrium, many events for users for 2014 have been S4SAS III, SPEM, the summer school workshops, and the annual Synchrotron Radiation User Meeting. reception, leading tour groups, or talking to visitors in their kindly contributed to our visitor feedback survey. The results of beamlines or labs. which have been overwhelmingly positive, and clearly illustrate the positive impact these open days have. S4SAS III Each visit started with a chance to talk to some of the facility’s users – including the Mary Rose Trust and Manchester For more information on visiting Diamond or supporting an A workshop presenting introductory lectures to the various SAXS SRUM keynote speaker, Palaeontology – in the Diamond House atrium. There were open day, contact [email protected] techniques possible and an interactive afternoon session with the Prof John Spence. also stands run by STFC, London Imperial and software available at Diamond, ideal for early career researchers as the Manchester Imaging group. As ever, well as PhD students, followed by the main S4SAS meeting, which refreshments were provided by local What were the best bits? included keynote and contributed talks, posters and discussions on community groups, with voluntary Very accessible explanations; patient the latest results plus future prospects for SAXS at Diamond (I22, 97% contributions to support their fundraising B21, I07, etc.) together with a perspective of the field from the wider of visitors rate their efforts. On this occasion, the tea and staff who dealt well with all questions international SAS community. enjoyment of the visit as cakes were served up by the Sea Scouts, 4 or 5 out of 5 Little Stars Nursery, and Leukaemia & and were highly knowledgeable and ScanningPhotoElectron Microscopy Lymphoma Research. approachable. (SPEM) 2014 The tour began in earnest with Sarah and Dave from our public engagement team Talking with practising scientists and SPEM2014 is the forum that brings together experts and introducing the world of synchrotron research interested scientists in the field of ScanningPhotoElectron to our guests with a short animated talk appreciating their enthusiasm. And the Microscopy, both for core-level and valence band studies of solids, about the Diamond machine. Adults and exemplary hospitality - very welcoming. to discuss the present status and directions of the techniques.The 66% knew at least children alike wiggled their hands in the scope of the SPEM2014 workshop was to enable the world-wide a little about Diamond before air with questions on energy usage, Dr The way our guide took care to community of designers and operators of SPEM instruments to they visited Who, bending magnets, and quantum BCA-CCP4 summer school, 40 took up the opportunity of a User meet and to disseminate the capabilities to a broad audience of entanglement, before splitting off into make complex ideas and concepts the academic and industrial communities and highlight the most meeting student day and 50 were chosen to attend the SR Summer knew smaller groups to embark on their journeys School. In addition, students are always encouraged to attend the 79% understandable. recent achievements in research and instrumental development. a lot more after the visit. around the ring. Held at Diamond in March and with 50 delegates in attendance, the numerous workshops and events we hold here at Diamond. With Diamond in shut-down mode, the Utterly inspirational - made me realise workshop was the 2nd edition of the SPEM series. The first was held The largest of the events Diamond hosts for students is the SR groups were all able to visit the three accelerators in 2010 in Trieste, Italy. Summer School, which took place between 21-26th September. how much potential humanity has for within the synchrotron – weaving their way Held bienially, 50 postgraduate students and post-doctoral through the labyrinth of tunnels to seek out the future! There are some incredibly Student workshops researchers, who have little experience of SR are offered a broad- The most popular aspects the gleaming machinery. Our amazing tour Diamond takes the responsibility of encouraging the careers based introduction to many of the different types of experiments intelligent people here! of the visit were seeing guides, made up of an array of beamline of young and upcoming scientists very seriously and is therefore conducted using SR. This week long course includes a very rare involved in a number of regular schools and training events opportunity to have two days hands-on practical experience of the inside of the that provide the future generation of researchers with fantastic performing experiments on several of the Diamond beamlines. machine, and opportunities to further their knowledge and gain invaluable practical Co-located at Diamond and Jesus College, the SR Summer School visiting the labs. skills. 2014 has so far seen students attending a wide variety or is a residential course and due to its unique content is usually events: 25 attended the Env-rad-net training school, 35 came to oversubscribed by 400%. Diamond for the S4SAS Workshop day, 40 completed a week long Synchrotron Radiation User Meeting (SRUM) 2014 September 2014 saw Diamond hosting its annual User Meeting where nearly 300 members of the Diamond user community, staff 95% and suppliers gathered for a two-day event. The meeting featured of visitors rate the suitability of information five parallel workshops that covered topics in Coherence Diffraction as 4 or 5 out of 5 and Imaging, Surfaces Interfaces and Symmetry, Time Resolved and Dynamic Studies, Geoscience and MX & Circular Dichroism and also included a keynote speech by Professor John Spence (pictured above), Director of the BioXFELconsortium, a National Science Foundation Science & Technology Centre in the USA. Not only did the meeting give delegates the opportunity to participate in discussions about the latest developments in each field, but offered up the chance to meet with their peers in an informal setting, hopefully encouraging new collaborations for the future.

20 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 21 Events and engagement I saw it I thought “Yes, synchrotron! That’d be a pretty awesome What’s been your highlight of working at Diamond? placement!” There seem to be few placements in research-based Without doubt it was the public open day. The whole point of the institutions, so I knew I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. I’d been project was to get the train to hover over the track for the public to to CERN at the end of my A-levels so I was definitely interested in give a practical demonstration of the behaviour of superconducting Sparkling students brighten Diamond accelerator physics, but coming here has shown me what a big materials. And by the end of the day we were able to get a little difference there is! person in a little truck floating around a little track, and it was just he Diamond Student Summer Placement scheme allows University debater, Brownie leader, and quietly resolute What’s it been like working with Claire and the team on the great to see the audience enjoying it as much as me! undergraduate students studying for a degree in Science, country girl Rosamund Herapath is a Diamond Summer Placement beamline? And your lowlight? TEngineering, Computing or Mathematics to gain experience student working on the High Resolution Powder Diffraction She’s lovely! She really has been so helpful and accommodating. working within a scientific environment at Diamond. These 8-12 beamline (I11). Her project is titled “Synthesis, design and The two weeks when the train just wouldn’t work. There were Particularly as I’m a physicist, and the synthesis work in my project liquid nitrogen leaks, so I plugged them. There were issues with week paid placements provide students with an opportunity to construction of a superconducting train track for application in has been more chemistry than I’ve been used to, she’s really helped work on a research or development project in biological science, outreach events”, supervised by I11’s Beamline Support Scientist the experimental process, so I adapted the variables. But it just kept me there. But everyone on the beamline has been really welcoming sinking and it seemed like I’d never get it to work. But I persisted, scientific data analysis, or physical science, ranging from Claire Murray. and I’ve felt able to approach any of them with questions. The developing a Diamond data smartphone App, to studying the and in the end it turned out to be the shape and weight of the train, Where are you from, and what do you study? visiting users have also been happy to look in and give advice, so structural characterisation of epigenetic regulators. which had been one of the initial components of the project. So I I grew up with my parents and two older brothers in north the support all round has been amazing. bit the bullet, went for a more basic model, and thankfully it ran. The zenith for our students is the poster presentation given at Gloucestershire, about ten miles from Cheltenham. It was pretty the end of their placement. In front of massed ranks of Diamond How has your time here made you think about your future rural – farm at the end of the road kind of thing. I’m now on the last employees and visiting users, each of the 26 students in the 2014 career? year of a Physics MSci at Bath University. cohort outlines their successes, failures, and conclusions from their Before coming here I was more hesitant about going into a time here. Contributions from the floor raise discussions on future Who were your main influences for getting into science? lab. When learning lab skills at undergrad level you’re often doing research, with voices of encouragement, appreciation, and advice My brothers were early role-models – they’re both quite a bit experiments where you already know what the results should for the occasionally nervous yet nonetheless impressive individuals. older than me, and did well in science at school so I got some good be when it’s performed correctly. But here I’ve been setting Alongside their placement projects, the students have the free tutoring! But it was my GCSE Physics teacher Mr Swordy who experiments without knowing for sure what will happen, even when chance to enter the Science Communicators Award, which was really inspired me with Physics. He was just brilliant, and gave me a I do the experiment right! As a result, it’s certainly opened lab work established to recognise and support up-and-coming talent in taste that there was so much more beyond GCSE. up as an opportunity I’d like to explore a bit more. science communication. Prizes are awarded for the best science And Rosalind Franklin of course. She was amazingly dedicated What do you know now that you wish you had known before writing, project documentation, and creative communication, and and achieved so much despite dealing with the institutional sexism How have you been recording your project? starting your placement? each entrant has the opportunity to contribute to Diamond’s future of the time, and even continuing to work through early stages of her I’ve been blogging at ‘diamondros’ with photos and writing up Basically that it’s OK to use three days on something that doesn’t PR work. cancer. She’s shown me the importance of persistence even if you my day-to-day experiences to track the project development. People work. Although it helps if you know that in three weeks you’ll get it To see the Science Communicators Award entries visit don’t see the immediate payoff. don’t really see what scientists do on a daily basis so I wanted to done! Steel your mind, and accept the failures along the way... www.diamond.ac.uk/CommsAward, or search #DiamondFutures. get across the mix of things that go on here – sometimes it’s report How did you find out about summer placements, and what made Ros’s blog, which has more writing and photos of levitating writing, sometimes it’s playing with levitating superconducting you want to apply? trains at Diamond, is at www.diamondros.blogspot.com At the time of writing the awards are yet to have been announced, trains, plus everything in between. but visit our website to see the results! One of our uni professors emailed it around, and as soon as

22 Diamond Light Source Diamond News Autumn 2014 23 Inside Diamond open day Dates for the diary 14th & 15th March 2015 An opportunity for the public to tour the Public and schools facility to meet the scientists who work at Diamond Schools Inside Diamond open day 4th & 13th November 2014 25th March 2015 Please contact David Price for further information and booking for the above A-Level visits: Opportunity to tour the events: [email protected] facility and meet the scientists who work at Diamond Scientific & technical interest 'Illuminating Atoms' Photography XAS 2014 Exhibition by Max Alexander 3rd - 5th November 2014 Royal Albert Hall, London 6th XAS analysis workshop for new and Exhibition viewing, wine and talk evening nearly new users of the spectroscopy 9th November. beamlines Exhibition open days 15th, 16th, and 29th November. Multivariate IR Microspectroscopy Analysis Training https://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/ exhibitions/illuminating-atoms/default.aspx 11th – 12th November 2014 http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/ For researchers working with vibrational illuminating-atoms-talk/default.aspx spectroscopy. Includes an introductory course on CAMO Unscrambler X

Engineering your future (schools) MX BAG training 3rd December 2014 18th – 19th November 2014 A-Level visit: Showcasing career Training for MX users to operate any of the opportunities in engeineering MX beamlines efficiently and to get the most benefit from their beamtime Particle physics masterclass (schools) 3rd – 6th February 2015 Diamond-CCP4 Data Collection and A-Level visit: organised by STFC, hosted Analysis workshop across the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, 9th – 16th December 2014 including Diamond Light Source. The annual meeting of our scientific computing user community Science in your future (schools) 4th March 2015 For more details on these and future Key Stage 4 visit: Event for girls to showcase events, please visit the website: potential career routes in the sciences www.diamond.ac.uk/events or e-mail [email protected]

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