Science Talk: Huairou science facility poised to revolutionize research

China's pioneering High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), Asia's first fourth-generation synchrotron radiation facility, has entered its critical joint commissioning phase, marking the final stage of construction before it becomes operational later this year.

Located in Huairou Science City, HEPS is poised to revolutionize scientific exploration. Capable of emitting light one trillion times brighter than the sun, it acts as a "super microscope", enabling scientists to observe the internal structures of materials down to the atomic and molecular level with unprecedented clarity and resolution.

"This high-energy X-ray capability will revolutionize studies in fields like aerospace materials and whole-brain neural networks, offering greater efficiency and precision," said Dong Yuhui, HEPS executive deputy director.

HEPS represents a monumental leap in China's scientific infrastructure. As a key project of the national 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-20), it will be the country's first high-energy synchrotron light source once finished.

Its exceptional brightness and penetrating power will provide a vital research platform for material science, chemical engineering, biomedicine, aerospace, energy, environment, life science, and pharmaceuticals.

Recent milestones include achieving a world-class electron beam emittance of 93 picometer radians in the storage ring in January, confirming its ability to produce high-quality, ultrabright synchrotron radiation.

Project innovations like utilizing the booster as both an accelerator and accumulator have significantly reduced infrastructure costs. An environmentally friendly electron beam recycling system has also been implemented, said Pan Weimin, director of the HEPS project.

HEPS embodies China's growing research prowess, transitioning from reliance on foreign facilities to developing world-leading scientific infrastructure that attracts global researchers. Its launch marks a significant stride in placing China at the forefront of fundamental scientific discovery, according to the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Shi Yudie contributed to this story.