Posted: October 24, 2008

Sweden gets world's most brilliant synchrotron light source for materials science and life science

(Nanowerk News) The Swedish government today gave the green light for the MAX IV synchrotron light facility, that will be the world’s most brilliant synchrotron light source for materials science and life science.

In the Swedish government’s research bill for 2009-2012, that was presented today by the Minister of Research Lars Leijonborg, the building of MAX IV is seen as urgent, as it will be important for many scientific areas of strategic interest.

It is very positive news that MAX IV is one of the most important parts in the government’s new strategy for research and innovation. We send our warmest congratulations to MAX-lab!, says Colin Carlile, Director for ESS Scandinavia.

MAX-lab has developed a technology that will be truly world-leading, and make science possible that is not possible today.

It is also very good news for ESS Scandinavia, since ESS and MAX IV will be two world-leading tools for materials and life scientists. As seen in several places around the world, synchrotron light and neutrons are the perfect pair, making complementary research results possible. Building the MAX IV and the ESS side by side will be highly beneficial for European science.

This is therefore a confirmation that ESS, if built in Lund in Sweden will offer unique technological and scientific qualities, not matched by the two other sites competing for the ESS, Bilbao in Sthe Basque region of Spain and Debrecen in Hungary.

Synchrotron light, as used in MAX-lab, and neutrons, as will be used in the ESS, are seen as two complementary analyzing techniques for scientists within a large array of disciplines, for example chemistry, structural biology, and physics, with applications within energy and environmental technology, pharmaceuticals, nano technology and materials research.

The government’s research bill is the largest funding increase ever for Swedish research, and the largest reform made by this government.

Source: European Spallation Source Scandinavia