VUV absorption spectrometry : a unique instrument, with the world’s highest resolution
The aim of the VUV-FTS project was to develop a new instrument, unique in the world: a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) with a interferometer based on wave-front division, possessing resolving power superior to the best beam spectrometers presently available. Such equipment would provide access to extremely detailed spectra, these being precious tools, notably in astrophysics. They would allow scientists, for example, to refine reference models used to identify bodies populating the atmosphere of planets or the constituents of stars.
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Using circular dichroism to study magnetic nanostructures
Le projet VERNANOMAG (pour "Auto-organisation versatile de nanomatériaux magnétiques : fabrication et fonctionnalités") est axé sur la fabrication de nano objets possédant des propriétés magnétiques, et leur caractérisation par dichroïsme circulaire utilisant le rayonnement synchrotron. La compréhension de ces propriétés magnétiques, outre un grand intérêt en recherche fondamentale, participe à la thématique de développement de nouveaux matériaux pour l’optimisation du stockage de l’information (ainsi que la miniaturisation de ses supports).
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Light on the carbenes chemistry
The VUV light of DESIRS beamline was employed to induce photoionization of two reactive intermediates belonging to the phenylcarbenes family, chlorophenylcarbene (CPC) and trifluoromethylphenylcarbene (TFPC), and their diazirine precursors. This allowed the determination of important gas phase thermochemical properties for the carbenes, such as ionization energies, which are difficult to obtain but interesting considering the importance of both intermediates as a model systems for carbene chemistry. In addition, thermochemical data on the ionization and dissociative ionization of the diazirine precursors were also obtained, shedding light on the photochemical properties of these compounds, important to photoaffinity labelling where photochemical activation induces the loss of nitrogen from functionalised diazirine precursors generating carbenes. The latter then form covalent bonds with specific target receptors, notably used in biomedical research.
Noller, B., Hemberger, P., Fischer, I., Alcaraz, C., Garcia, G. A., & Soldi-Lose, H.
"The photoionisation of two phenylcarbenes and their diazirine precursors investigated using synchrotron radiation". PCCP - Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 2009, 11(26): 5384-5391
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Briques nanométriques et chimie douce
Les équipes des lignes SAMBA (V. Briois) et SWING (F. Meneau) de SOLEIL ont étudié grâce aux techniques synchrotron (SAXS, EXAFS) les caractéristiques structurales de solutions de nanobriques de poly-oxo-titanate modifiées en surface par l'acide para-toluène sulfonique présentant une transition sol-gel thermo-réversible.
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Graphene holds promise
An international collaboration between CNRS (Grenoble), Georgia Tech (Atlanta) and the University of Paris-Sud have demonstrated that multilayer epitaxial graphene grown on SiC is composed of decoupled (non-interacting) graphene sheets.
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The laser turns 50 years old in 2010
The first laser was operated on 16 May 1960 by Theodore Maiman at the Hughes Research Laboratory in Malibu (California). Dozens of events are being organized throughout France to celebrate the laser’s fiftieth anniversary in 2010. SOLEIL is a partner of the fiftieth anniversary national committee and will participate in events organized for the occasion in the Ile-de-France region, particularly on 22-23 June for the “Golden jubilee of the Laser in the City of Light” at the Ecole Polytechnique and on 24 September for researchers’ night. www.50ansdulaser.fr
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Infrarouge and chemotherapy
IR spectroscopy reveals effect of low doses of anti-tumour drug on cancer cells.
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"Moon milk" and prehistoric caves
« Moon milk » is a strange substance that covers the walls of some prehistoric caves, sometimes erasing parietal works. What is it made of?
>> Watch the movie
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2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, ribosomes and the synchrotron
The 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the ribosome story, with support from synchrotron radiation…
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SOLEIL sheds light on the secret of the Stradivarius varnish
Works on Stradivari varnishes have just been published in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie. They take place in the context of the setting-up of the European platform for ancient materials research IPANEMA (Loïc Bertrand, Laurianne Robinet) at SOLEIL. The infrared microscopy experiments were performed at the SMIS synchrotron beamline (Paul Dumas, Christophe Sandt). Discover the varnish composition of the most well-known instrument-maker.
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A new structure of a protein complex resolved on Proxima 1
A group from Birkbeck College and the University College, London, have solved (using data collected on beamline PROXIMA 1 at SOLEIL) the structure of a protein machinery which forms a channel in the external membrane of the bacteria responsible for crown gall disease in certain plants (grape vines, fruit trees). This channel is used by the bacteria to pass infectious agents into the host cell. Other bacteria which infect mammals (for example legionella) use similar protein machines (the T4SS). This work is described in the journal Nature.
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X-PEEM: A microscope between ELETTRA and SOLEIL
In 2003, a collaboration and research agreement between the CNRS and the SOLEIL national synchrotron was drawn up. This also included ELETTRA, the Italian synchrotron based in Trieste. The purpose of this agreement is to establish a formal collaboration between French and Italian research groups in the field of x-ray microscopy, and X-PEEM microscopy in particular (X-ray Photo-Emitted Electron Microscopy). SOLEIL’s X-PEEM microscope was therefore able to be installed on the French branch of the Nanospectroscopy beamline at ELETTRA whilst waiting for the soft x-ray microscopy beamline to be built at SOLEIL, where it is due to be installed in late 2010.
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A new approach to the early diagnosis of liver diseases
In a multidisciplinary study jointly conducted by three French research groups, analyses were carried out on hepatic steatosis. These studies have provided evidence of the localized heterogeneity of the pathological tissue and shown that variations in its composition can be detected at very early stages by spectroscopic approach, in particular using infrared, with facilities such as at synchrotron SOLEIL.
>> Publication in the journal PLoS ONE
>> SMIS beamline
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Quick EXAFS on SAMBA
Since mid-September 2009, SAMBA has been open to visitors wanting to work on its new “made in SOLEIL” Quick EXAFS station.
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Study of an enzyme involved in biodegradation, on PROXIMA1 beamline
Enzymes involved in biodegradation are very important in the recycling of enormous quantities of carbon coming from natural, industrial and agricultural sources. A team from the University of Leeds (Elena Kovaleva and Arwen Pearson) have been using SOLEIL PROXIMA I beamline in order to study the role of protein dynamics in the catalytic reaction of an enzyme which activates molecular oxygen in order to catalyse the opening of an aromatic ring of a substrate.
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AILES comes under Terahertz
A team of AILES users, the SOLEIL infrared spectroscopy beamline, has obtained, in the beginning of July, spectra of pure rotation of the Methyl-formate ( HCOOCH3), at frequencies lower than 1 THz (<30 cm-1).
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DELICIOUS2 : A new versatile imaging electron / ion coincidence spectrometer on DESIRS
When a VUV photon is absorbed by a molecule in the gas phase, one of the main relaxation processes is photoionization, i.e. electron ejection, leaving the molecular cation with a given internal energy (electronic, vibrational and rotational). In many cases, the cation is formed in a dissociative state leading to its fragmentation. The photon energy deposited is therefore shared between the electron kinetic energy, the fragments translational energy and the internal energy of the fragments.
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First diffraction experiment on MARS beamline
On December 10th and 11th 2008 the first diffraction experiment was carried out on the MARS beamline, in collaboration with a CEA/DEN team...
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Developments in High Pressure FTIR spectroscopy for use at the Australian Synchrotron
Funding for an International Science Linkage, under the French Australian Science and Technology Programme (FAST) has enabled collaboration between the Australian Synchrotron and the Synchrotron SOLEIL to share their expertise in the study of live biological samples and in the study of materials at high pressure.
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PLEIADES keeps its promise
The first electron spectra were recorded on PLEIADES the night of May 23rd, 2009. These testified to the exceptional possibilities offered by this beamline to those interested in the study of dilute matter using inner shell spectroscopy. Welcome to the ultra high resolution chemical physics.
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Temperature and High-pressure dependency of Infrared modes of Zn(CN)2, a negative thermal expansion material - SMIS
Negative thermal expansion (NTE) materials, such as ZrW2O8 and other related ompounds are of intense current interest and many experimental and theoretical investigations have been reported and they emphasize the role played by the low energy phonons to explain this unusual behavior.
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Medium-range order changes in a fused silicate: the first step towards crystallisation (in-situ x-ray diffraction and absorption measurement at high temperature) - DIFFABS
Ice formation, the crystallisation of igneous rock, and metallurgical and vitroceramic processes are a few examples which illustrate the importance of the crystallisation of liquids in natural and industrial processes. On a microscopic scale, however, the structural rearrangements that characterise the initial stages of the crystallisation of an amorphous material are not well understood. This leaves tremendous scope to improve the control and the understanding of crystallisation, particularly at high degrees of supercooling, where the transformation is highly irreversible. This is the context in which we decided to study medium-range changes of order occurring in a fused silicate starting to crystallise in the presence of a nucleating agent...
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The atomic structure of… holes
The family of porous solids, also called zeolites (there are 48 natural zeolites and around 200 synthetic ones) has many applications, in chemistry, petrochemicals and catalysis, as well as in biology and pharmacology. The unique properties of these minerals originate in their atomic structures. The “porous solids” group at the Institut Lavoisier (Versailles) is developing methods of synthesis and is studying the properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs): these molecules are composed of a skeleton combining organic and inorganic components, connected three-dimensionally. Using the CRISTAL beamline, this research group has sought to determine the crystalline structures of several materials with a high resolution powder diffractometer.
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High resolution X-ray diffraction study of metal-ligand interactions in a new rhodium complex
In this study, carried out in collaboration with the research groups of C. F. Matta (Department of Chemistry and Physics, Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax), M. Stradiotto (Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada) and C. Lecomte (CRM2, Institut Jean Barriol, Nancy), the detailed information obtained from high resolution X-ray diffraction experiments is used as an alternative way of determining the physico-chemical properties of rhodium Rh (I) complexes and, in particular, their reaction mechanism.
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A less than sympathetic… sort of ink
Ancient manuscripts sometimes deteriorate because of the ink that was used to write them.
Why? How to prevent it?
>> See the film
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XMCD-PEEM evidence of the manipulation of multibit-states in single magnetic dots
Nanomagnetism and spintronics have been receiving an ever increasing attention over the past two decades.
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Salt, meat and infrared
How can we reduce the amount of salt in products that require significant quantities of salt in their manufacture? Thierry Astruc, from the Animal Product Quality Unit (INRA, Clermont Ferrand) came to SOLEIL to look for answers to this question.
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Detection in the gas phase in the mid infrared range of tributyl phosphate (PO(C4H9O)3):
a tracer of nuclear activity with low volatility - AILES beamline
Tributyl phosphate (TBP) is a liquid, viscous solvent used in various industrial sectors such as plastic coatings, metallurgy, hydraulic brakes, etc.
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An High resolution THz measurements of the pure rotation spectrum and low-frequency movements of dimethyl sulfoxide (SO(CH3)2) - AILES beamline
Hybrid photovoltaic cells combine the light-harvesting and charge transport properties of semiconductor and metal oxide nanoparticles with polymer semiconductors...
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An Investigation into the Electronic Structure of Nanoparticulate Lead Sulphide and the Implications for Novel Hybrid Photovoltaic Cell Design - TEMPO beamline
Hybrid photovoltaic cells combine the light-harvesting and charge transport properties of semiconductor and metal oxide nanoparticles with polymer semiconductors...
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The team « Astrochimie et Origines » on DESIRS beamline The “Chiral-MICMOC“ experiment of the team " Astrochimie et Origines " - Institute of Spatial Astrophysics (IAS - Orsay)-, was successfully mounted onto the SOLEIL DESIRS beamline to study the possible formation of enantiomeric excesses in chiral amino acids formed during the VUV irradiation, with circularly polarized light, of interstellar ices analogues. This experience led by Louis d' Hendecourt, in collaboration with Laurent Nahon (SOLEIL) and Uwe Meierhenrich (Université de Nice) produced two samples of organic matter each with a different polarization (helicity), two other samples having been produced in similar conditions at the IAS with unpolarized UV light. Analysis, mainly by GC-MS is in progress at the University of Nice.  The experimental set-up has been installed on SOLEIL during six days by Pierre de Marcellus and Dominique Deboffle. The cryostat where the sample is made can be seen together with the FTIR spectrometer that controls the ices deposition. On the left arrives the VUV-CPL beam from the monochromator of DESIRS selecting photons of a given energy (6.83 eV) corresponding to a circular dichroism transition known in amino-acids in the solid state.
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First high resolution measurement of the centrifugal distortion spectrum of methane (CH4) - AILES beamline Methane is a small molecule present in many planetary atmospheres, including that of the Earth (where it is a powerful green-house gas), Mars, giant planets, Titan (Saturn’s satellite), giant exoplanets and brown dwarfs. Due to its great symmetry, the methane molecule does not possess a permanent dipole moment. Centrifugal distortion can, however, induce a very weak pure rotational spectrum. This is very important in planetology as it allows, in particular, the quantity of methane in Titan’s atmosphere to be measured using the CIRS instrument in the (NASA/ESA) Cassini probe. Until now, measurements have been based on old, low-resolution laboratory data. We measured for the first time this high resolution spectrum (0.0011 cm -1) on the infra-red AILES beamline, with an optical path length of 150 m. The data obtained will permit the absolute intensities in this region to be measured. The resulting model will act as a reference for interpreting data on present and future space missions. 
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Journée du Patrimoine 2009
Pour la Journée du Patrimoine 2009, SOLEIL a ouvert ses portes au public. Au programme : visite du synchrotron et ateliers sur le thème de l'étude des matériaux anciens pour le lancement de la plateforme IPANEMA.
>> Voir le film
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H-induced metallization of 3C-SiC(100)3x2 surface - TEMPO beamline
 Using valence band photoemission spectroscopy, we performed first band structure measurements of the 3C-SiC(100) 3x2 surface metallised by atomic hydrogen exposure.
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Hepatitis C, when an ultra-virulent strain helps to understand how the virus operates - PROXIMA1
Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) are the most common form of malignant tumor in the world. The principal risk factors are chronic hepatitis B and C virus infections, mainly at the cirrhotic stage of these infections (1, 2). The high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) (about 3% of the world population) makes it a major cause of HCC. In the developed world, this prevalence is of the order of 1% (780,000 people affected in France), so chronic HCV infection is the primary cause of more than half the cases of HCC (3).
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 Infrared microspectroscopy used in the search for spectral markers of liver disease - SMIS Beamline
Diseases of the liver (steatosis, hepatitis, cirrhosis and cancer) are a major cause of death, both in Western society and in other parts of the world...
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S-SAD used to determine the structure of a virus protein on PROXIMA1
 The structure of an atypical viral protein has been determined on Proxima1 thanks a diffraction experiment on the native protein.
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Measuring the elastic properties of a thin film under compression - DIFFABS beamline
 We study the elastic behaviour of thin nano-structured films. The characterisation of the mechanical behaviour of these polycrystalline structures with respect to their microstructure is an essential step towards the development of technological applications, but has not yet been explored in depth.
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Generation of 360° domain walls in magnetic tunnel junctions
 Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJ) are probably one of the most studied devices in the so called spintronics research field. Their active part is composed of two ferromagnetic electrodes separated by an insulating layer thinner than 3 nm that a tunnel current exists between the two electrodes.
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How does glycine in ice evolve under irradiation?
TEMPO beamline
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Performance of the AILES beamline in the THz domain
 The infrared beamline (AILES) connected to the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation source is now complete. The purpose of this beamline is to provide a high flux, high brilliance source extending continuously from infrared to the THz domain whilst keeping the noise level as low as possible. The important parameters (flux, spatial distribution of photons, and useable spectral domain) have been evaluated experimentally.
These measurements confirm that this source extends into the THz domain; they also check that the operation of the device allows the entire source to be used without an iris, even for higher-resolution measurements (10-3 cm-1 or ~0.1 μeV). The lower figure shows the gain obtained by synchrotron radiation and the fact that it extends into the THz domain. The upper figure was obtained from the division of two simultaneous spectra, and illustrates the signal-to-noise ratio made possible by the stability and high intensity of synchrotron radiation.
This use of spectroscopy in the THz range paves the way for research in many areas (astrophysics, solids, soft materials, etc.)
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Time Resolved Photoelectron spectroscopy using synchrotron radiation time structure - TEMPO beamline
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