Contents Pages Introduction 2 Scientific Highlights 4 High Resolution and Resonance Scattering 4 Materials Science 16 Soft Condensed Matter 32 Structural Biology 48 Surface and Interface Science 63 X-ray Absorption and Magnetic Scattering 77 X-ray Imaging and Optics 96 The X-ray Source 112 Facts and Figures 120 two other key beamlines: ID03, the new surface Introduction diffraction beamline which has been equipped with an instrument dedicated to the investigation of The success of the ESRF’s scientific programme is surfaces under “real” catalytic conditions, and the result of the ideas and actions of many people ID26, for high-throughput resonant inelastic X-ray - our large and widely-spread user community scattering, allowing a powerful and ambitious (some 5500 scientists visited the ESRF in 2006 to experimental programme in both inorganic carry out their research projects), the many chemistry and bioscience. A novel technique, colleagues who contribute to the ESRF through X-ray-detected magnetic resonance, has been their work on the proposal review committees as successfully demonstrated on ID12, opening a well as the Council, SAC and AFC, and almost 600 new avenue by which to study very subtle staff of the ESRF. Science at the ESRF is magnetic processes, such as site-selective time- underpinned by the work of all of our Divisions and resolved magnetism down to the picosecond Services: much of this is invisible to our scientific timescale, using X-ray magnetic dichroism user community but is, nevertheless, of crucial techniques in combination with microwave importance for the successful operation of our pumping of the sample under investigation. Finally, Machine and beamlines. We open this Introduction the new ID06, ID11 and ID13 projects are on to the Highlights 2006 with some important news schedule to start delivering beam in 2007, thereby and events that marked 2006 for our various increasing the opportunities at the ESRF in the Divisions. fields of micro- and nano-diffraction in materials science, pulsed magnetic fields up to about 30 T, The Machine, the set of accelerators providing the and instrument developments using high X-ray beams, operated very successfully in 2006. brightness undulator radiation. X-ray beam availability was 98.7% (97.6% in 2005) and the mean time between failures reached a new The automation of the ESRF macromolecular record of 61.5 hours (44.4 hours in 2005). A new crystallography (MX) beamlines continues to be of magnetic lattice was developed and tested during real benefit to the large European structural the year. This lattice has an effectively unchanged biology community: MX makes up around 40% of performance and is operated without two the user visits to the ESRF. Fast screening of a quadrupoles in each cell; these may subsequently large number of crystals is now possible. This is of be removed to provide more space (~ 1 metre) for great value for biologically challenging projects new insertion devices. Routine upgrades and where it is often difficult to get good quality maintenance continued with, for example, the (diffracting) crystals. Many biological projects also installation of new high power crotch absorbers profit from the implementation of techniques and front-ends and several new “revolver” and in- complementary to X-ray diffraction such as Raman vacuum undulators. and UV-VIS spectroscopy, now available on the MX beamlines. A noteworthy and valuable cross- Where the Experiments Division is concerned, fertilisation between structural biology and soft progress has been achieved in many areas of condensed matter science is growing, of mutual materials science and in the development of benefit to both research areas. By the use of the techniques. The high pressure programme has coherence in holotomographic mapping, and seen the commissioning of ID27, a new nano-chemical imaging of the cellular distribution high pressure beamline, with much improved of heavy metals, X-ray imaging has demonstrated performance (flux and focussing capabilities) its great potential in providing completely new compared to that of ID30 (now phased-out). The knowledge on biological samples. These X-ray experimental programme of this new beamline has imaging techniques are attracting new user already achieved very significant results such as communities. For example, the non-destructive the first crystallographic data on phase III of solid nature of X-ray imaging gives unique opportunities hydrogen and the discovery of carbonia, a carbon to “see” inside fossils and to unravel the chemical dioxide based glass with a structure similar to composition of cultural heritage samples. The use vitreous silica. Plans to develop a large volume of nanometre-sized X-ray beams has been the press programme are progressing well. The year foundation for many of the exciting results 2006 has also witnessed the commissioning of obtained in 2006, and the need for smaller and ESRF 2 HIGHLIGHTS 2006 The Director smaller X-ray beams is increasing and is an General with the important component of the ESRF upgrade members of the programme. Three pilot projects are preparing the Upgrade ground for the future developments of beamlines Programme with nanosized beams: the nanoimaging side- Project Group. station at ID22, and the extension projects of ID11, From left to right: the materials science beamline and ID13, the C. Detlefs, microfocus beamline, enabling ID11 and ID13 to J.L. Revol, operate routinely with nanometre-sized beams. W.G. Stirling, However, nanobeams require developments in T. Bouvet and nanoengineering and nanomanipulation and so a E. Mitchell. nanotechnology platform has been established to coordinate all the nanoscale developments. (Poland) and 0.47% (Czech Republic). Contacts The year 2006 was a remarkable year for with the Slovak Republic have been initiated. computing-related activities. The beamlines again Technology transfer is increasingly important for produced a record amount of data, pushing much Europe’s science-based industries. The rules on of the computing infrastructure to its limits and the remuneration of inventors were modified last encouraging the Computing Services Division to year to give a boost to technology transfer at the explore new technologies and techniques. The ESRF. The Convention d’Entreprise governs our data network is being constantly enhanced to working environment and is currently under maintain its high reliability while substantially revision in negotiation with the Unions. These increasing the available bandwidth. Many discussions, which focus on shiftwork, time experiments now require parallel processing for management, and the expatriation allowance, will fast analysis and many users are routinely using continue well into 2007. the Linux clusters with batch submission software to stay abreast of the data deluge. Other Following the enthusiastic support of the SAC developments concern new database applications and Council for the ESRF’s ten year Upgrade and the continuous development of the control Programme (http://www.esrf.eu/AboutUs/Upgrade), system software, two areas where collaborative the Director General set up a Project Group to efforts with other laboratories allow synergy. prepare the detailed project documentation to be submitted to the Council for approval (see the Staff of the Technical Services Division photo). This major task is well underway with the contribute to science at the ESRF in many ways, aim of producing the “Purple Book” by early 2007, from conventional building construction and after in-depth consultation with SAC members and maintenance to very specific infrastructure for the representatives of the user community. We are Machine and beamlines. For example, in 2006 looking forward to a “green light” in 2007 from the TSD delivered Sectors 10-6 and 14-5 to ESRF Council to start work on our programme of accommodate the new long (about 100 m) renewal and upgrade, designed to keep the ESRF beamlines ID11 and ID13 which have remarkable at the forefront of scientific research. vibrational and thermal stability. The Highlights 2006 presents some of the best The Administration Division, working closely science from the ESRF over the last year. We hope with the Director General, has very wide that you enjoy reading about some of the responsibilities, including interaction with the remarkable research carried out by our users and ESRF’s partner countries. In 2006, the first steps staff. In 2007 and the following years we will work were taken towards the possible participation of together to make the ESRF an even more exciting Russia in the ESRF. In addition, the Central centre for world science. European countries are demonstrating an increased interest. In line with the intensified use of W.G. Stirling, M. Rodriguez Castellano, the ESRF by scientists from Poland and the Czech P. Elleaume, R. Dimper, H. Krech, S. Larsen, Republic, these countries increased their F. Sette, P. Thiry contributions as Scientific Associates to 1% (January 2007) HIGHLIGHTS 20063 ESRF Introduction of sound waves and in the here, dealing with catalysis and understanding of the Boson peak, electrochemistry, only the emission This year’s contribution again shows respectively. spectroscopy was sensitive enough to the complementarities of research at answer the questions on high valence the beamlines, covering very The application part deals this time of iron and the ligand environment of fundamental aspects of science as with phonons and electronic nanocrystalline Cr deposits.