SANFT SCIENCE · Synchrotron Applications in Nanometre and FemTosecond Science

Final Activity Report Summary - SANFT SCIENCE (Synchrotron Applications in Nanometre and FemTosecond Science)

Nanoscience is concerned with the understanding and control of fundamental processes at the nanometre level. The size of the objects under investigation is only one millionth of a millimetre - only barely larger than the distance between two atoms. Synchrotron radiation is a form of x-rays generated in an electron storage ring. They can be adjusted to have wavelength in the nanometre regime. As a result they are an ideal tool to investigate objects in nanoscience. In nature, small things often move very fast. It is thus natural that fundamental processes involving electrons in atoms, molecules or nanostructures happen on a times shorter than a millionth of a millionth seconds. This so called femtosecond regime is thus equally important in nanoscience. In the SANFT project - synchrotron radiation for nanometre and femtosecond science - European researchers collaborated on the use of synchrotron radiation to achieve new capabilities in this area. Experienced European researchers conducted experiments using synchrotron radiation at BESSY, immersed in local research teams. Due to the participation of scientists from different scientific communities and from different European regions, a cross-fertilisation both in scientific know-how as well as in the approach towards the research goals was achieved. Furthermore, network activities resulted in the existence of a people-driven informal network that is now spanning several European research facilities. The longer-term activities on a postdoctoral level were complemented by short-term stays of distinguished researchers, boosting the respective research projects. The individual projects were mainly concerned with developing new methodologies to access the nanoworld and to test these approaches on model systems. They involved the analysis of electronic structure, nanometer microscopy, deep probing spectroscopy, detection of temporal fluctuations, and the development of femtosecond x-ray pulses with nanometer wavelengths.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз