Publication of the very first Pilot experiment results from Alvra
The results from the first pilot experiment at Alvra have just been published in Nature Communications. The measurements probed the excited-state character of a Cu-P OLED complex using X-ray emission spectroscopy from the phosphorus atoms in the molecule.
Photobiocatalytic H2 evolution of GaN:ZnO and [FeFe]-hydrogenase recombinant Escherichia coli
The need for sustainable, renewable and low-cost approaches is a driving force behind the development of solar-to-H2 conversion technologies. This study aims to develop a new strategy using a visible-light photocatalyst coupled to a biocatalyst for H2 production. Photocatalytic methyl viologen (MV2+) reduction activity was investigated to discover active oxynitrides. In comparative studies with LaTiO2N, BaTaO2N and Ta3N5, it was revealed that the suitable surface area, band gap and band edge potentials are some physical factors that are responsible for the photocatalytic behaviors of GaN:ZnO in MV2+ reduction. The activity is enhanced at higher concentrations and the alkaline pH of triethanolamine (TEOA). The expression of an active [FeFe]-hydrogenase from Escherichia coli (Hyd+E. coli) as a recombinant biocatalyst was confirmed by its MV˙+-dependent H2 production activity. In the photobiocatalytic system of GaN:ZnO and Hyd+E. coli, the rate of H2 production reached the maximum level in the presence of MV2+ as an electron mediator at neutral pH as a biocompatible condition. The present work reveals a novel hybrid system for H2 production using visible-light active GaN:ZnO coupled to Hyd+E. coli, which shows the feasibility of being developed for photobiocatalytic H2 evolution under solar light.
Lehrberufe à la carte 2020
Am Sonntag, 21. Juni 2020 ist abgesagt!
Operando X-ray diffraction during laser 3D printing
Ultra-fast operando X-ray diffraction experiments reveal the temporal evolution of low and high temperature phases and the formation of residual stresses during laser 3D printing of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy. The profound influence of the length of the laser-scanning vector on the evolving microstructure is revealed and elucidated.
Superconductivity with broken time-reversal symmetry inside a superconducting s-wave state
In general, magnetism and superconductivity are antagonistic to each other. However, there are several families of superconductors in which superconductivity coexists with magnetism, and a few examples are known where the superconductivity itself induces spontaneous magnetism. The best known of these compounds are Sr2RuO4 and some non-centrosymmetric superconductors. Here, we report the finding of ...
Laser focus on mesons
The first demonstration of laser spectroscopy of a meson, achieved at PSI's πE5 beamline, opens up new avenues for precision studies of ‘exotic atoms’.
Around Antarctica in 90 days to study the pristine atmosphere
PSI researchers have designed and equipped a laboratory container for operation on research ships to undertake comprehensive studies of the chemistry and microphysics of the atmosphere. The floating laboratory was first deployed during the Antarctic Circumnavigation Expedition (ACE) with the aim of characterizing aerosol processes that are relevant for climate change in an atmosphere, which is hardly influenced by human emissions of air pollutants other than greenhouse gases.
Was tut eine angehende Physiklaborantin im Homeoffice?
Sie entwickelt zum Beispiel einen autonomen und fernsteuerbaren Roboter und erweitert so ihre Erfahrungen in Mess-, Steuer- und Regeltechnik und vertieft ihre Kenntnisse in der Programmierung. Eine Lernende des 2. Lehrjahres beschreibt hier, wie es ihr dabei ergangen ist.
Benefit of random testing
With the imminent relaxation of socio-economic restrictions, it becomes vital to assess its effect on the prevalence of acute infections within the population, as rapidly as possible. Currently available monitoring instruments for the COVID-19 pandemic have an inherent time delay of about 14 days, as they rely on confirmed infections, hospitalizations, and death numbers. These methods give Reff(t) (the number of infections caused by a single infected person), but their delay is a significant disadvantage when restrictions are released. If after relaxation, Reff(t) rises above 1, one will not be able to react adequately before two weeks have passed during which time the prevalence could significantly rise. Here, we propose the use of random testing to shorten this reaction time, by obtaining direct and modeling dependent information on Reff(t). Through random testing of between 2500 and 20000 people per day, we find that over periods significantly shorter than two weeks, it becomes possible to detect a dangerous increase in Reff with reasonable confidence.
Langlebiges pionisches Helium: exotische Materie erstmals experimentell nachgewiesen
Exotische Atome, in denen Elektronen durch andere Teilchen ersetzt werden, ermöglichen tiefe Einblicke in die Quantenwelt. Nach acht Jahren gelang einer internationalen Gruppe von Forschenden an der Pionenquelle des PSI ein schwieriges Experiment: Sie schufen ein künstliches Atom, sogenanntes «pionisches Helium».
Miniaturized fluidic circuitry observed in 3D
The team of Prof. Thomas Hermans at the University of Strasbourg in France managed to create wall-less aqueous liquid channels called anti-tubes. Thanks to X-ray phase contrast tomography at the TOMCAT beamline those anti-tubes could be observed in 3D. The exciting results were published in Nature on May 6, 2020.
Langfristige Entwicklungen von Energiepreis und -verbrauch in der Industrie
Forschende des Paul Scherrer Instituts PSI haben in einem vom Schweizer Bundesamt für Energie (BFE) geförderten Forschungsprojekt untersucht, wie sich der Energieverbrauch der Schweizer Industrie in Abhängigkeit von den Energiepreisen entwickelt. Ein Resultat: Preissteigerungen bei der Energie wirken sich meist nur langfristig auf den Energieverbrauch aus.
Information for SmuS, SINQ and CHRISP users
The restart of operating the PSI high intensity proton accelerator (HIPA) is expected to be delayed by about 2 months due to the Corona virus situation. The pandemic team of PSI approved a scenario where in-house research at the correponding facilities will be possible from mid of July on. External users at HIPA will only be allowed as of September 1st.
This means that we have to shift many .....
Auf der Suche nach dem Leuchtmaterial der Zukunft
Am Paul Scherrer Institut PSI haben Forschende Einblicke in ein vielversprechendes Material für organische Leuchtdioden (OLEDs) erhalten. Das neue Verständnis wird helfen, Leuchtmaterialien mit hoher Lichtausbeute zu entwickeln, die kostengünstig herzustellen sind.
Taking a snapshot of the triplet excited state of an OLED organometallic luminophore using X-rays
In this work, the complementarity of pump-probe experiments at SwissFEL (ALVRA endstation) and at synchrotrons (SuperXAS beamline of SLS and ID09 of ESRF) is used to investigate the triplet excited state of Cu OLED materials. Details about the charge transfer and structural rearrangements in the excited state of this material are revealed and obtained data can be used to verify computational methods for rational development of new OLED materials.
Hierarchically Structured Porous Transport Layers for Polymer Electrolyte Water Electrolysis
The high operational and capital costs of polymer electrolyte water electrolysis technology originate from limited catalyst utilization and the use of thick membrane electrolytes. PSI researchers have developed novel multi-layer porous transport materials, which provide superior electrochemical performance in comparison to conventional single-layer structures.
Das PSI Spin-Off Araris Biotech AG ist einer der 10 Gewinner des diesjährigen Venture Leaders Life Science Award
Als Gewinner wird Araris am Swiss Biotech Day 2020 sowie an einer einwöchigen Roadshow nach Boston teilnehmen, wo Araris zusammen mit den anderen Venture Leaders vor den führenden US-Investoren pitchen und mit Führungskräften und Experten der Bio- und Medtech-Industrie zusammentreffen wird. Boston ist eines der weltweit wichtigsten Zentren für Biowissenschaften und das ideale Sprungbrett für ambitionierte Start-ups auf ihrem Weg zur globalen Expansion.
Virtual Collaboration Meeting
During the Corona crisis, meetings are only possible online. The Mu3 collaboration met today virtually with more than 20 people from three different countries.
Understanding Quantum Critical Magnetism in Han Purple
The ancient purple pigment used to paint the terracotta warriors, BaCuSi2O6, is also a quantum magnetic material which consists of stacked Cu2+ bilayers hosting spin dimers. Magnetometry and NMR experiments have revealed puzzling critical phenomena at the quantum phase transition (QPT) caused by an applied magnetic field, which suggest that the universal behaviour of the system is not three- but only two-dimensional. By performing high-resolution neutron spectroscopy measurements .....
Den «Funken im Griff»
Eine andere Variante Mantel-Thermoelemente abisolieren zu können.
Unterstützung während Corona
Auf dieser Seite finden sich hilfreiche Tools und Links für Familien und andere Personen, die Betreuungsarbeit und Home-Office während Corona verbinden.
2D Materials
Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) “nanomesh”, a two-dimensional insulating monolayer, grown on the (111) surface of rhodium exhibits an intriguing hexagonal corrugation pattern with a lattice constant of 3.2 nm.
Measurement of properties of Bs0 → μ+μ− decays and search for B0 → μ+μ− with the CMS experiment
Results are reported for the B0s → μ+μ− branching fraction and effective lifetime and from a search for the decay B0 → μ+μ−. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions accumulated by the CMS experiment in 2011, 2012, and 2016, with center-of-mass energies (integrated luminosities) of 7TeV (5fb−1), 8TeV (20fb−1),and 13TeV (36fb−1).
Swiss BIC of CERN Technologies calls for innovative ideas – deadline 30th April
For the third time, Switzerland Innovation Park Innovaare in Villigen/AG is hosting the call for proposals for high-tech business ideas that incorporate accelerator technologies into their products.
Batteries under the neutron stroboscope
The first application of stroboscopic neutron diffraction to studying lithium-ion batteries during operation establishes a new approach to unravelling the complex processes playing out in energy-storage materials.
Batteries under the neutron stroboscope
The first application of stroboscopic neutron diffraction to studying lithium-ion batteries during operation establishes a new approach to unravelling the complex processes playing out in energy-storage materials.
Tailoring Spin-Wave Channels in an Artificial Spin Ice
Magnonic crystals are periodic magnetic structures, which are attracting great interest because of their potential use in low-power information technology based on spin waves, or magnons. Artificial spin ices have been recently studied as reconfigurable magnonic crystals, but achieving the required combination of magnetic state reconfigurability and desired magnon dispersions remains challenging. Here, researchers propose a hybrid system that makes use of a magnetic thin film underlayer to couple and strengthen the interaction between the artificial spin ice’s nanoelements though spin waves. Moreover, the magnetic state of the artificial spin ice gives rise to directional spin wave channels in the underlayer. This hybrid system opens a new direction for band structure engineering in reconfigurable magnonic crystals.
Role of water on the structure of palladium for methane complete oxidation
The mechanism of methane oxidation in the presence of water has been investigated in situ by means of APXPS.
Kinetics of the Thermal Oxidation of Ir(100) Studied by APXPS
The thermal oxidation of single-crystalline Ir(100) films toward rutile IrO2(110) has been investigated in situ by means of APXPS.
Brennstoffzellenexponat im PSI forum
Anfang dieses Jahres haben die Physiklaboranten des 3. Lehrjahres das Brennstoffzellen Exponat im PSI forum repariert und auf den neusten Stand gebracht.