CH9900060 PAUL SCHERRER INSTITUT SWISS LIGHT SOURCEP# Swiss Light Source SLS 5232 Villigen PSI, September 1999 Swiss Light Source - SLS Introduction The Paul Scherrer Institute has begun work on the implementation of the Swiss Synchrotron Light Source, the SLS, within the context of the overall planning for the ETH domain. The decision-making bodies are convinced of the scientific value of the project, of its significance for science politics in terms of teaching and research, and of its positive influence on the Swiss research sector. The Swiss Parliament approved the SLS project in 1997. Synchrotron radiation: is - like visible light The importance of synchrotron radiation to modern science and - electromagnetic radiation. It is generated (for example) when fast electrons are forced to the industrial scene of the future is demonstrated by the enormous to circulate on curved trajectories in a development which has taken place within the field: the first storage ring. synchrotron light source for analysis was built in 1966. Today there are about 44 of them in operation worldwide. The total number of synchrotron radiation users in Europe is currently around 6000. The OECD estimates that this number will approximately double within the time it will take to construct the SLS. In addition, the demands made on the quality of the facilities will also increase substantially, with the result that many of the older sources will no longer be competitive. With this anticipated future demand in mind, replacement projects are already at the proposal or implementation stage for all the most important of the older facilities in Europe. However, these will mainly result in qualitative improve- ments rather than extra resources. The USA, Japan and Europe (ESRF in Grenoble) each have a single large-scale facility to provide beamlines of the highest quality in the hard X-ray field. In contrast, however, synchrotron radiation sources generating soft X-rays have been conceived and operated as smaller, single-nation facilities. Swiss researchers currently have to carry out their experimental work at centres spread out all around the world. Since the commissioning of the European ESRF facility it has been possible to carry out high-quality experimental work using hard X-rays, in proportion to the Swiss contribution to the financing of the project. A detailed analysis indicated, however, that the facilities currently available fall far short of demand, and that extremely promising projects cannot be pursued for this reason. This situation will deteriorate still further in the future because of the general increase in demand. Swiss participation in ESRF is therefore to be supplemented by the construction of SLS at the Paul Scherrer Institute. It has been planned to suit the requirements of Swiss universities and industry, and makes the most efficient use of the resources available. Paul Scherrer Institut Swiss Light Source - SLS The construction of this facility, which will have international scope, is intended to provide a national focus for co-operation between various disciplines and for research in material sciences. Although basic research in physics and chemistry, biology, medicine and environmental sciences would seem to be in the foreground, industrial users also have an interest in the SLS. At present, this mainly centres on investigations into the structure of biological and chemical molecules, the use of high-performance methods of analysis, and the manufacture and investigation of microstructures. The SLS-TechnoTrans company was founded in 1997, in recognition of the industrial application of SLS. SLS is intended to be available as a user facility for Swiss research- ers, although it will also be attractive to international users because of its particular characteristics. However, the project is national in scope, and forms part of the international network of sources of synchrotron radiation. The SLS has a significant contribution to make in retaining research work in Switzerland - and, in the end, in retaining jobs. It will open up attractive options for training at the universities and at technical colleges, and for national and international cooperation. SLS is designed to provide the highest possible degree of quality and flexibility. Its performance is optimised to the ultraviolet light and soft X-ray sectors, with top performance anticipated almost as far as the hard X-ray area. SLS will thus act as a complement to ESRF, which was designed specifically for hard X-rays. However, SLS will be a good source for the latter too, and can be bettered in this respect by only a very few facilities around the world. SLS will also enable industrial research activities of a highly confidential nature to be carried out, as well as local preparations for complicated experiments which will later be carried out more efficiently at large-scale facilities, such as ESRF. Paul Scherrer Institut Swiss Light Source - SLS The significance of the SLS Switzerland and research - today and tomorrow Switzerland is a small, hard-working country with a low supply of natural resources coupled with a relatively high density of population. Switzerland has achieved a high standard of living to a significant degree because of its outstanding educational provisions and its research work, which is world class. In addition, an important contribution has been made by foreigners, including those who have arrived here during the course of this century as refugees. Switzerland enjoys some substantial advantages, such as: • social and political stability • a high degree of training at all levels • outstanding infrastructure, right at the heart of Europe These advantages are worth retaining and developing further, which means that Switzerland needs a flourishing industrial base. Industry in Switzerland therefore urgently needs training, research and development at the highest level. Traditionally, private industry has supplied 70% of the cost of research and development, with the remaining 30% coming from the public purse. The total costs of research amount to 2.7% of the gross national product, placing Switzerland amongst those at the top of the industrial nations. Because of our situation, we really ought to be at a higher level than the other countries, since we have no natural resources of our own except water, and we can only lay claim to a small domestic market. The main role of public funding ought to be in the scientific, fun- damental areas of research, rather than in applied research. Fun- damental research is associated with a high level of risk, is less "*»<*££ !£,#, amenable to planning, is long-term and holds the potential for the truly new and unexpected. However, it is absolutely necessary as a foundation for industrial research and development, in that it produces the basic new discoveries and methods. Naturally, I i there are grey areas between basic research and applied research - public funds will have to be increasingly used for the sake of long-term vision in areas where business still does not take such criteria such as ecological considerations sufficiently into account. Lack of financial resources is endemic all around the world, which means that priorities now have to be set. New achievements can be implemented only by letting go of the old. Vision, analysis of the quality of results and accountability are all in demand - as is effective communication with the public. We are still learning how Paul Scherrer Institut Swiss Light Source - SLS to function in this new environment. Private industry has had to make rapid changes - and still has to do so, even now, if it is not to be threatened with bankruptcy. Focussing, teamwork and an improved use of infrastructure have become new slogans. Orga- nisation is no longer as vital as competition; resources have to be utilised where they will be most profitable. We can not do everything. Relevance and the ratio of cost to benefit will be questioned. In the case of basic research, this is a difficult, if not impossible matter to judge. It is therefore sensible to invest in basic research with confidence whenever possible, i.e. it will have to be associated with a variety of foreseeable important results so that the risk can be spread more widely. Any investigation into the question of the ratio of cost to benefit must ensure that the significance of innovative research to the education of the coming generation, particularly in Switzerland, is accorded a very high value. Research work is now much better focussed, is carried out more efficiently by teams, brings into effect a greater range of disciplines and is better communicated. Higher quality has to be achieved to ensure that the research work is internationally competitive and promotes the strengths of Swiss industry for the future. We need a strong national research effort of the highest quality in order to attract the rest of Europe and the world in general. This in turn will then draw additional foreign intelligence of a high standard back to Switzerland. Highly qualified scientists inside Switzerland contribute more to the country than do those outside it. They alone can produce crystallisation points for new sources of jobs. Silicon Valley was not facilitated by the formal co-operation of the USA with other countries, but by providing the required basic conditions within the state of California. These included outstanding universities and research laboratories, which attract an international, performance-oriented, innovative young gener- ation of people. The climate and ambience of a successful research community are still very local in geographical terms. Paul Scherrer Institut Swiss Light Source - SLS The significance of the SLS to Switzerland SINQ: the new neutron spoliation source SLS has world-class performance in its energy range. The at PSI. Its neutron beams are used to determine the atomic geometric and ma- completion of SLS, combined with the existing SINQ spoliation gnetic structure of materials; SLS and SINQ neutron source and the muon beams at PSI, will be a milestone are complementary.