SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre in Kraków is the is the first and only synchrotron light source in Central and Eastern Europe. The Krakow synchrotron was built using the most modern technologies developed by specialists from the Swedish MAX-lab laboratory. Thanks to this, the electron beam has excellent parameters despite the relatively small size of the synchrotron. And this, in turn, puts the Krakow synchrotron at the forefront of this type of devices in the world. Synchrotron SOLARIS is formed by 12 Double Bend Integrated Achromats with 3.5m separations summing up to 96m circumference. The ring accepts up to 500mA of 1.5 GeV electrons. Its emittance is below 6nm*rad which assures outstanding synchrotron radiation in the tender X-ray, VUV and IR region.
The first users commenced measurements in October 2018 at two state of the art beamlines - PEEM/XAS and UARPES. UARPES enables angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy in the photon energy range 8-100 eV delivered by the EPU undulator. PEEM/XAS beamline is equipped with two end-stations – the photoemission electron microscope and universal station for x-ray absorption spectroscopy working in the photon energy range 200-2000 eV.
To achieve its full potential SOLARIS, in collaboration with Polish and foreign research centers is dynamically developing and extending its offer for researchers. The next two beamlines will soon be available, and another six are under construction or being designed. In addition, two diagnostic lines are linked to the synchrotron. Ultimately, more than a dozen beamlines will be operational in the experimental hall with approximately twenty end-stations. Additionally, in 2018 SOLARIS Centre purchased Krios G3i cryo-electron microscope which allowed to open the National Centre for Cryo-Microscopy @ SOLARIS offering the complementary to X-ray crystallography technique in imaging biological macromolecules. Access to SOLARIS is open, the calls for beamtime are organized twice per year. The applications are ranked by International Evaluation Committee.
SOLARIS remains active on the international level. The Center is a part Central European Infrastructure Consorcium (CERIC ERIC) which integrates spectrum of research facilities from central European countries enabling free access for users on the open access principle (see https://www.ceric-eric.eu/). SOLARIS also part of the League of European Accelerator based Photon Sources (LEAPS) initiative (https://leaps-initiative.eu/) - a strategic consortium initiated by the Directors of the Synchrotron Radiation and Free Electron Laser user facilities in Europe. Its primary goal is to actively and constructively ensure and promote the quality and impact of the fundamental, applied and industrial research carried out at their respective facility to the greater benefit of European science and society. Furthermore, SOLARIS has signed cooperation agreements with number of research facilities around the word. In 2019 SOLARIS had also the privilege to sign in Beijing the Charter of the Global Cooperation Alliance of Science Centers which mail goal is the cooperation and communication, promotion of mutual development, utilization of complementary strengths, and discussion of scientific topics of common interest with particular emphasis on medium- to large-scale research infrastructures.
SOLARIS Centre is a division of the Jagiellonian University. The investment was co-financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund, as a part of the Innovative Economy Operational Programme for 2007–2013. More information can be found at https://synchrotron.uj.edu.pl/en_GB/.
Proposals on scientific and technological cooperation among the Alliance Members
· Energy / development of the technology of the future, e.g. predicting the development of the energy and its impact on the environment, new solutions for energy:
— production (photovoltaic and renewable energy sources)
— storage (e.g.. state-of-the-art batteries)
— new materials (superconductors, semiconductors, topological insulators etc.)
· Environment / maximizing the impact of science and high technology on the natural environment.
· Engineering & manufacturing / expertise and knowledge transfer in deployment of advanced technologies:
— development of new detectors for experiments with synchrotron radiation
— development of the novel X-ray optics
— development of mirrors and gratings (Compound Refractive Lenses CRL)
· Health / working on health challenges: infectious diseases, drug development, age – related diseases, cancer research, new biomaterials, better understanding of pathogenic processes, improvement of medical treatments.
Heritage science / research and exploration in past and future culture. Using Light Source Infrastructure for preservation of artworks, artifacts and architecture.
