Advanced Light Source facts for kids

The Advanced Light Source (ALS) is a special science machine. It's located at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California. This machine is a type of synchrotron light source. It was built from 1987 to 1993. About 210 scientists and staff work there today.

The ALS is a national place for scientists to use. It creates very bright light for science and technology research. It is one of the world's brightest sources of ultraviolet and soft x-ray beams. Each year, over 2000 researchers visit the ALS. They come from universities, companies, and government labs worldwide. The United States Department of Energy helps fund the ALS.

The ALS has over forty special paths for light called beamlines. These beamlines let many different science experiments happen at the same time. Any qualified scientist can ask to use the ALS beamlines. Their ideas are checked by other experts. The best ideas are chosen to use the ALS. It costs nothing to use the ALS if the research results are shared with everyone.

The current leader of the Advanced Light Source is Roger Falcone.

What is a Synchrotron Light Source?

A synchrotron light source like the ALS is a big machine. It speeds up tiny particles called electrons. These electrons travel in a circle very, very fast. As they go around, they give off bright light. This light is much brighter than light from a normal lamp. Scientists use this super-bright light to study many things. They can look at atoms and molecules. This helps them understand how materials work. It also helps them create new medicines or better technologies.

History of the ALS

Early Particle Accelerators

Scientists in Berkeley, California, started working with tiny particles in the 1920s. In 1929, Ernest Lawrence built the first cyclotron. This machine was designed to speed up subatomic particles. During World War II, the lab helped with the Manhattan Project. They received money from the military. In 1942, Lawrence hired Arthur Brown, Jr.. He designed a new round building for Lawrence's large cyclotron. This building, with added parts, is where the ALS is located today. The lab was part of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. Later, in 1977, it moved to the U.S. Department of Energy.

From Atom Smashing to Light Making

Scientists kept making particle accelerators more powerful. They wanted higher energy to study the smallest parts of matter. But they soon noticed something interesting. As charged particles spun around, they gave off light. In the early 1950s, other scientists began using this light for experiments. These experiments were not about "atom smashing."

Particle accelerators changed from cyclotrons to synchrotrons. In synchrotrons, particles travel in a circle, not a spiral. Building these machines became very expensive. So, many countries joined together to build one huge synchrotron in Europe (CERN). This was for atom-smashing experiments. Other labs, like Lawrence Berkeley Lab, did not have enough energy to find new particles. So, they changed their focus. They started using their machines to make light instead. They learned how to make the particle beam "wiggle." This made the beam give off specific colors of light.

The Birth of the ALS

In the 1980s and 1990s, scientists wanted to make even brighter light. They designed "third generation synchrotrons." These new designs would create the most intense light ever. The ALS was the very first "third generation synchrotron" to start working.

When the Advanced Light Source was first suggested in the early 1980s, some people doubted it. The lab's director, David Shirley, proposed it. Some people even called it "Shirley's Temple." They wondered if a synchrotron designed for soft x-rays and ultraviolet light would be useful. Daniel Chemla, a former ALS director, said it was hard to convince the science community. But he believed the idea was always strong.

In 1987, President Ronald Reagan's budget included money for the ALS. He set aside $1.5 million to help build the Advanced Light Source.

Images for kids

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  The Advanced Light Source and surrounding buildings at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

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  Inside the storage ring at the Advanced Light Source, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Large magnets bend, steer, and focus the electron beam as it circles the ring 1.4 million times per second.

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  View of the storage ring from the ALS overlook

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  This picture shows how the light beams look. ALS (A) has a wider beam. ALS-U (B) will have a much more focused beam. This will help scientists make new discoveries.