SOLEIL Users' Meeting 2008

The Third SOLEIL Users’ Meeting took place at the Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau) on January 17 and 18, 2008, with more than 250 participants (10% from abroad). The meeting was opened by V. Etgens, Chairman of the Users’ Committee.
         

Alfonso San Miguel (LPMCN, Lyon) showed how a local analysis of the compressibility of a material by X-ray absorption or inelastic X-ray diffusion spectroscopy coupled with X-ray diffraction and ab initio calculations allowed various phenomena to be identified.

Francois Mirambet (LRMH, Champs sur Marne) presented a summary of the applications of microanalysis techniques using synchrotron radiation for the conservation and restoration of historical artefacts.

Valérie Briois, head of the SAMBA X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) beamline at SOLEIL, demonstrated the benefits of combining XAS with other techniques for a detailed characterization of a sample on which variations of thermodynamic parameters (T and P) may be applied.

Francis Penent (LCPMR, Paris) described the multiple ionization processes occurring in an atom following the absorption of one photon. He demonstrated the interest of installing an asynchronous synchrotron beam chopper device using the single bunch filling mode with top-up.

The last presentation was by Matteo d’Astuto (IMPMC, Paris), who showed how third-generation synchrotron sources extend the analysis possibilities, which were previously reserved for neutron sources, and which provide new possibilities in neutron physics.

The round table sessions favoured exchanges of information between the management and the users. Questions were collectively answered by the SOLEIL management on the following day. They were about “exotic” beam modes (e.g. single-bunch) that will be available in a limited number of runs; biocrystallographers expressed the need for fast access to experiments in order to fulfil the constraints of crystallogenesis. They wish to have Block Allocation Group (BAG) for beamline access. SOLEIL will provide this facility for the next call for proposal. The installation of a “high-pressure” laboratory was mentioned. Other concerns were raised, including access to SOLEIL (buses only run during standard working hours), and availability of the guest house for “local” users.

Two final developments marked the SOLEIL meeting.

Associated to SOLEIL 3^rd  Users' Meeting, a satellite workshop entitled "SOLEMIO “SOLEil MIcroscopy Opportunities“ was organised at SOLEIL, on Tuesday 15^th (afternoon) & Wednesday 16^th January, 2008