SwissFEL

La plus récente grande installation de recherche du PSI génère de très courtes impulsions de rayons X, ayant les propriétés du laser. Cela permet aux chercheurs de suivre des processus extrêmement rapides tels que l'apparition de nouvelles molécules lors de réactions chimiques, de déterminer la structure détaillée de protéines vitales ou de comprendre la composition exacte de matériaux. Les chercheurs pourront ainsi obtenir des informations auxquelles les méthodes actuelles ne permettent pas d'accéder. Les connaissances acquises élargissent notre compréhension de la nature et débouchent sur des applications pratiques telles que de nouveaux médicaments, des processus plus efficaces dans l'industrie chimique ou de nouveaux matériaux en électronique.

Plus d'information sur le sujet SwissFEL

surface x-ray diffraction

LaAlO3 - Buckling under pressure to hand over the charges

In this paper, we report on the change in the atomic structure of the conducting interface between the insulators LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 as a function of the LaAlO3 layer thickness. We discovered that the atoms at the interface buckle in an attempt to counteract the internal electric field produced when these two insulators touch one another.

Band dispersion of superconducting Ba0.6K0.4Fe2As2

Observation of a ubiquitous three-dimensional superconducting gap function in optimally doped Ba0.6K0.4Fe2As2

The iron-pnictide superconductors have a layered structureformed by stacks of FeAs planes from which the superconductivity originates. Given the multiband and quasi three-dimensional1 (3D) electronic structure of these high-temperature superconductors, knowledge of the quasi-3D superconducting (SC) gap is essential for understanding the superconducting mechanism.

Christian David in front of the SLS

Röntgenpreis for X-Ray research goes to Christian David

On 26th November 2010, Christian David, scientist at the Laboratory for Micro and Nanotechnology, received the Röntgenpreis for research in radiation science. David pioneered a method to enhance the quality of X-ray images. He received the award jointly with Franz Pfeiffer from Technische Universität München who worked closely together with him.
The award

simulation of a vortex structure

Direct Determination of Large Spin-Torque Nonadiabaticity in Vortex Core Dynamics

We use a pump-probe photoemission electron microscopy technique to image the displacement of
vortex cores in Permalloy discs due to the spin-torque effect during current pulse injection. Exploiting the
distinctly different symmetries of the spin torques and the Oersted-field torque with respect to the vortex
spin structure we determine the torques unambiguously, and we quantify the amplitude of the strongly

Nature Physics Cover Picture

Moving Monopoles Caught on Camera - researchers make visible the movement of monopoles in an assembly of nanomagnets

For decades, researchers have been searching for magnetic monopoles; isolated magnetic charges, which can move around freely in the same way as electrical charges – since magnetic poles normally only occur in pairs.

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High-resolution method for computed nano-tomography developed

A novel nano-tomography method developed by a team of researchers from the Technische Universität München (TUM), the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and the ETH Zurich opens the door to computed tomography examinations of minute structures at nanometer resolutions. The new method makes possible, for example, three-dimensional internal imaging of fragile bone structures. The first nano-CT images generated with this procedure was published in the renowned journal Nature on September 23, 2010.

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Understanding plastic semiconductors better

New method allows important insights into polymer semiconductors

Semiconductors made from polymer materials are becoming increasingly important for the electronics industry – as a basis for transistors, solar cells or LEDs – showing important advantages when compared to conventional materials: they are lightweight, flexible and very cheap to produce.

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New X-ray technique distinguishes between that which previously looked the same

A new method forms the basis for the widespread use of an X-ray technique which distinguishing types of tissue that normally appear the same in conventional X-ray images