Synchrotrons in the United States are currently located in California and Illinois, serving as cutting-edge facilities for scientific research across various disciplines. These powerful particle accelerators produce extremely bright light, which researchers utilize to study materials at the atomic and molecular levels, advancing fields such as materials science, biology, chemistry, and physics.
Major Synchrotron Facilities in the US
The primary operational electron synchrotrons and storage rings associated with light sources in the US are:
| Facility Name | Location | State |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Light Source (ALS) | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley | California |
| Advanced Photon Source (APS) | Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne | Illinois |
These facilities are national user facilities, providing access to researchers from universities, industry, and government laboratories worldwide. They are instrumental in numerous scientific breakthroughs, from developing new materials for energy technologies to understanding complex biological processes.
