13 November 2006
DESY's free-electron laser FLASH illuminates the nano-world
Using the unique soft X-ray free-electron laser FLASH at DESY in Hamburg, an international team of scientists achieved a world first by taking a high-resolution diffraction image of a non-crystalline sample with a single extremely short and intense laser shot. This first successful application of “flash diffractive imaging” – which was published online on November 12, 2006 in Nature Physics – opens the ...27 October 2006
XFEL and FLASH are part of a Roadmap of the European Union
The European XFEL facility is one of the 35 projects which form the recently published roadmap of the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI). A second project is named IRUVX-FEL which is a consortium of FLASH and four FEL facilities for radiation in the infrared (IR) to soft X-ray (UVX) range which are planned in Europe.The ESFRI Roadmap is the result of a two-year intensive ...
07 September 2006
World Record at FLASH: the free-electron laser at DESY delivers highest power at shortest wavelengths and reaches water window!
“FLASH is currently the only laser facility in the world to deliver ultra-short high-power laser flashes in the X-ray range with a very high repetition rate,” said DESY Research Director Professor Jochen R. Schneider. “FLASH thus opens up completely new experimental opportunities for researchers from nearly all the natural sciences, even within the so-called water window between 2.3 and 4.4 nanometers. In this ...08 May 2006
Start of 2nd Measuring Period at FLASH
After the positive results of the first measuring period, the – mostly external – users of DESY’s new free-electron laser FLASH (formerly VUV-FEL) are starting today into the second measuring period. From August 2005 to March 2006, a total of 14 research groups from ten countries carried out first experiments using the intense laser flashes with a wavelength of 32 nanometers (nm, billionths of a meter).20 April 2006
Free-Electron Laser VUV-FEL renamed FLASH: Free-Electron LASer in Hamburg
Stimulated by the users of the VUV-FEL and the first exciting results obtained, the suggestion was made to find a compact name for the facility which is more attractive and easier to pronounce in different languages. On 6th April 2006 the DESY directorate decided for the new name FLASH instead of VUV-FEL.28 March 2006
First Measuring Period at DESY’s New Free-Electron Laser VUV-FEL Successfully Concluded
The first measuring period for external users at the new X-ray radiation source VUV-FEL at DESY in Hamburg has been successfully concluded. Since its official startup in August 2005, a total of 14 research teams from ten countries have carried out first experiments using the facility’s intense laser beam. “Both the external researchers and the DESY team gained most valuable experience with the new machine,” ...20 February 2006
Call for Letters of Intent for new experiments at the VUV-FEL: Deadline April 1, 2006
The VUV-FEL at DESY, the first free-electron laser built for the vacuum-ultraviolet and soft X-Ray region, has started user operation in August 2005. Currently the FEL is working at 32 nm wavelength providing up to 150 pulses per second with GW peak power and a pulse duration between 20 and 50 fs. The facility should reach its full functionality within the next two years spanning a wavelength range from ...