Shifting away from nuclear energy, expanding solar and wind power, generating energy from biomass, reducing energy consumption. Switzerland is committed to becoming climate-neutral by 2050. An ambitious goal, which has become more urgent than ever due to the increasingly challenging geopolitical situation. How can a sustainable and resilient energy supply for Switzerland be established over the coming years? What's the optimal way to use renewable energy sources? What new technologies are especially promising? At PSI, researchers are seeking answers to these crucial questions.
Public Tour Radiopharmacy
Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of radiopharmacy at the Paul Scherrer Institute. Learn how radioactive substances are used in the diagnosis and treatment of serious illnesses such as cancer.
Public Tour Hot Laboratory
Discover the Hot Laboratory nuclear facility during our guided tour, a unique experimental facility in Switzerland for the nuclear technology investigation and analysis of highly radioactive materials. This is supported by a well-developed infrastructure in terms of safety, analysis, and preparation, with unique laboratories at your disposal.
Understanding the Interplay between Artificial SEI and Electrolyte Additives in Enhancing Silicon Electrode Performance for Li-Ion Batteries
Maintaining a stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is crucial for Li-ion battery safety, especially with high-capacity anode containing silicon. Therefore, our study explored long-term cycling of Si electrodes with artificial alucone-based SEI, deposited by molecular layer deposition (MLD) in combination with a fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) electrolyte additive. MLD of flexible Li-ion permeable artificial SEI coatings onto electrode resulted in improved capacity, enhanced Si electrode cycle life and capacity retention.
Public Tour of the SwissFEL
The SwissFEL is one of only five X-ray laser facilities worldwide that can generate hard X-rays in laser quality and make them available for research. During our tour, we will learn about the operation and main research objectives of the X-ray laser and then take a guided walk to view the key components of the 700-meter-long facility.
Operando Neutron Characterization During 3D Printing
A new laser powder bed fusion device enables real-time neutron diffraction and imaging, providing detailed insights into structural evolution, defect formation, and temperature mapping during metal additive manufacturing.
CSD Christmas
Our Christmas party was a truly unforgettable moment that brought us all a great deal of joy. The festively decorated room was bathed in warm light and the Christmas atmosphere was palpable from the very beginning. The scent of pine branches and mandarins was in the air and contributed to the cozy atmosphere.
“The biggest challenge is lacking public acceptance of wind turbines”
In an interview with ETH News, Russell McKenna, an expert in energy system analysis, explains where he sees the greatest need for action in order to further develop wind energy.
Die Polymechaniker im vierten Lehrjahr und ihr gemeinsames Projekt
Aus einer Idee entsteht ein Produkt für die ganze Werkstatt
YBa1−𝑥Sr𝑥CuFeO5 layered perovskites: An attempt to explore the magnetic order beyond the paramagnetic-collinear-spiral triple point
Layered perovskites of general formula AA'CuFeO5 are characterized by the presence of spiral magnetic phases whose ordering temperatures 𝑇spiral can be tuned far beyond room temperature by introducing modest amounts of Cu/Fe chemical disorder in the crystal structure. This rare property makes these materials prominent candidates to host multiferroicity and magnetoelectric coupling at temperatures suitable for applications. Moreover, it has been proposed that the highest 𝑇spiral value that can be reached in this structural family ( ∼400 K) corresponds to a paramagnetic-collinear-spiral triple point with potential to show exotic physics. Since generating high amounts of Cu/Fe disorder is experimentally difficult, the phase diagram region beyond the triple point has been barely explored. To fill this gap we investigate here eleven YBa1−𝑥Sr𝑥CuFeO5 solid solutions (0≤𝑥≤1 ), where we replace Ba with Sr with the aim of enhancing the impact of the experimentally available Cu/Fe disorder. Using a combination of bulk magnetization measurements, synchrotron x-ray and neutron powder diffraction we show that the spiral state with 𝐤𝑠=(1/2,1/2,1/2±𝑞) is destabilized beyond a critical Sr content, being replaced by a fully antiferromagnetic state with ordering temperature 𝑇coll2≥𝑇spiral and propagation vector 𝐤𝑐2=(1/2,1/2,0). Interestingly, both 𝑇spiral and 𝑇coll2 increase with 𝑥 with comparable rates. This suggests a common, disorder-driven origin for both magnetic phases, consistent with theoretical predictions.
New Process Enhances Lithium Battery Performance
A new approach from PSI to improve battery performance offers the industry new opportunities for efficient and long-lasting energy storage.
Ein Tag im Personalrestaurant Oase
…..willst Du mehr wissen, was es alles braucht, um Dich im PSI zu verpflegen?
Araris Biotech: Strategic partnership in the field of cancer therapy
With its new partnership with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Araris takes another step forward in the development of innovative cancer therapies.
40 years of LNS
On 1st October 2024, the Laboratory for Neutron Scattering & Imaging turned 40 years old, which was celebrated during the traditional end-of-year party on 17th December.
New protective coating can improve battery performance
Increasing the energy density of lithium-ion batteries – a sustainable method for cathode surface coating developed at PSI makes it possible.
Connection between f-electron correlations and magnetic excitations in UTe2
The detailed anisotropic dispersion of the low-temperature, low-energy magnetic excitations of the candidate spin-triplet superconductor UTe2 is revealed using inelastic neutron scattering. The magnetic excitations emerge from the Brillouin zone boundary at the high symmetry Y and T points and disperse along the crystallographic b-axis. In applied magnetic fields ...
PSI year in review 2024
Highlights – PSI research in 2024
Decentralized hydrogen-based stationary energy storage systems complemented by smart control can provide increased operational flexibility in the energy system
While the electrification of the energy system implies a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions greatly beneficial to society, it can also pose technical challenges. The most notable among these are that the capacity of the local electric grid may be exceeded, along with the occurrence of imbalances between decentralized renewable energy production and final consumption. Hydrogen-based energy storage systems (HESS) are regarded as promising solutions to address these challenges. However, the feasibility has not been demonstrated and the involved processes are not well characterized on a technical relevant power level, so far.
Small-angle scattering interferometry with neutron orbital angular momentum states
Methods to prepare and characterize neutron helical waves carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM) were recently demonstrated at small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) facilities. These methods enable access to the neutron orbital degree of freedom which provides new avenues of exploration in fundamental science experiments as well as in material characterization applications.
However, ....
Mitigating Cracks in Multi-Material Printing
Integrating metallic powders with thin foils in laser powder bed fusion can reduce interfacial cracks and improve microstructure quality in titanium-aluminum multi-material printing.
100 Tage als Mediamatik-Lernender am PSI
Als Mediamatiker helfe ich die Internetseite zu pflegen, auf Social Media zu posten sowie Fotos und Videos zu bearbeiten. In den ersten 100 Tagen meiner Lehre am PSI konnte ich schon viele grossartige Erfahrungen machen.
The Cables of the SLS
Building services, magnets, IT – many different parties are involved in the SLS upgrade. What connects them all is several hundred kilometres of cables.
IMPACT: Upgrade at PSI research facility approved
Financing for renovations to PSI’s proton accelerator facility has been approved by the Swiss Parliament.
Fractional quasiparticles in three dimensions
Specific signatures of fractionalization have been observed in a three-dimensional system known as quantum spin ice.
Mapping the Nanoscale Architecture of Functional Materials
A new X-ray technique reveals the 3D orientation of ordered material structures at the nanoscale, allowing new insights into material functionality.
Evidence of antiferromagnetism in ultrathin metallic (111)-oriented LaNiO3 films
Antiferromagnets with exotic spin textures promise low-power spintronic devices with extremely high operating frequencies and resistance to external perturbations. In particular, the combination of highly tunable correlated electron physics, as in complex oxides, with metallicity and antiferromagnetism is desirable but exceedingly rare. LaNiO3, the lone example of a perovskite nickelate which is metallic across all temperatures, has long been a promising candidate, but the antiferromagnetic metallic state has remained elusive. We demonstrate the emergence ...
Exotics among the atoms
Muon experiments at the PSI are focusing on different isotopes.
Together for Science with Neutrons, Muons and X-rays
Strategic partnership between research facilities in UK and Switzerland will create new capabilities to address global challenges using neutrons, muons and X-rays.
Congratulations to ANAXAM on its 5-Year Anniversary!
Since its establishment in 2019, ANAXAM has proven itself to be a reliable partner for industry, delivering innovative solutions in applied materials analytics.
Jahresschlussapéro 2024
Ein erfolgreiches Berufsjahr geht zu Ende
Brigitte Decrausaz receives DECTRIS Award of Best Master's Thesis in Experimental Physics at UZH
Brigitte Decrausaz, PhD student at LNS, received the DECTRIS Award 2023/2024 for the Best Master's Thesis in Experimental Physics at the University of Zürich.