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 Diamond Light Source building | |
| Established | 2001 (2001) |
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Laboratory type | National scientific research laboratory |
| Location | Chilton,Oxfordshire, England 51°34′28″N1°18′39″W / 51.57444°N 1.31083°W /51.57444; -1.31083 |
| Website | www |
| Map | |
  Location in Oxfordshire | |
Diamond Light Source (or justDiamond) is the UK's nationalsynchrotron light source science facility located at theHarwell Science and Innovation Campus inOxfordshire.
Its purpose is to produceintense beams of light whose special characteristics are useful in many areas of scientific research. In particular it can be used to investigate the structure and properties of a wide range of materials fromproteins (to provide information for designing new and better drugs), and engineering components (such as a fan blade from an aero-engine[1]) to conservation of archeological artifacts (for exampleHenry VIII's flagship theMary Rose[2][3]).
There are more than 50 light sources across the world.[4] With an energy of 3 GeV, Diamond is a medium energy synchrotron currently operating with 32beamlines.
The Diamond synchrotron is the largest UK-funded scientific facility to be built in the UK since theNimrod proton synchrotron which was sited at theRutherford Appleton Laboratory in 1964. Nearby facilities include theISIS Neutron and Muon Source, theCentral Laser Facility, and the laboratories at Harwell and Culham (including theJoint European Torus (JET) project). It replaced theSynchrotron Radiation Source, a second-generation synchrotron at theDaresbury Laboratory in Cheshire.
Diamond produced its first user beam towards the end of January 2007, and was formally opened byQueen Elizabeth II on 19 October 2007.[5][6]
A design study during the 1990s was completed in 2001 by scientists at Daresbury and construction began following the creation of the operating company, Diamond Light Source Ltd.[7]
The construction costs of £260m covered the synchrotron building, the accelerators inside it, the first seven experimental stations (beamlines) and the adjacent office block, Diamond House.
The facility is operated by Diamond Light Source Ltd,[8] ajoint venture company established in March 2002. The company receives 86% of its funding from the UK Government via theScience and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and 14% from theWellcome Trust.
Diamond generatessynchrotron light at wavelengths ranging fromX-rays to thefar infrared. This is also known assynchrotron radiation and is theelectromagnetic radiation emitted by charged particles travelling near thespeed of light when their path deviates from a straight line.[9] It is used in a huge variety of experiments to study the structure and behaviour of many different types of matter.
The particles Diamond uses areelectrons travelling at an energy of 3GeV[10] round a 561.6 m (1,843 ft) circumferencestorage ring. This is not a true circle, but a 48-sided polygon with a bending magnet at each vertex and straight sections in between.[11] The bending magnets aredipole magnets whose magnetic field deflects the electrons so as to steer them around the ring. As Diamond is a third generation light source[further explanation needed] it also uses special arrays of magnets calledinsertion devices. These cause the electrons to undulate and it is their sudden change of direction that causes the electrons to emit an exceptionally bright beam of electromagnetic radiation, brighter than that of a single bend when traveling through a bending magnet. This is the synchrotron light used for experiments. Some beamlines, however, use light solely from a bending magnet without the need of an insertion device.
The electrons reach this high energy via a series of pre-accelerator stages before being injected into the 3 GeV storage ring:
The Diamond synchrotron is housed in a silvertoroidal building of 738 m (2,421 ft) in circumference, covering an area in excess of 43,300 m2 (466,000 sq ft), or the area of over sixfootball pitches. This contains thestorage ring and a number ofbeamlines,[12] with the linear accelerator and booster synchrotron housed in the centre of the ring. These beamlines are the experimental stations where the synchrotron light's interaction with matter is used for research purposes. Seven beamlines were available when Diamond became operational in 2007, with more coming online as construction continued. As of April 2019 there were 32 beamlines in operation. Diamond is intended ultimately to host about 33 beamlines, supporting the life, physical and environmental sciences.
Diamond is also home to elevenelectron microscopes. Nine of these arecryo-electron microscopes specialising in life sciences including two provided for industry use in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific; the remaining two microscopes are dedicated to research of advanced materials.[13]
Using X-ray beamlines, researchers examine insect specimens from theLondon Natural History Museum's collection, which contains millions of uncatalogued insects. The synchrotron's imaging technology provides detailed views of anatomical features, such as wing structures and mandibles, revealing evolutionary adaptations and ecological roles.[26]
Studies investigated the documented decline in insect populations, with research indicating a 45% reduction over four decades, attributed to factors likehabitat loss,pesticides andclimate change. By analyzing both fossilized and modern specimens, researchers explored how insects responded to past environmental changes, providing data relevant to current biodiversity challenges. The synchrotron's ability to process large 3D image datasets facilitates the identification of uncatalogued specimens and supports studies on species critical to pollination and food chains.[26]
Research also examined insect responses to contemporary issues, such as microplastic accumulation and geographic shifts due to climate change. For example, comparisons of historical and modern butterfly specimens help track range changes in the UK. These studies contribute to understanding insect evolution and ecology, offering insights into conservation and the broader impacts of environmental change on ecosystems.[26]
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| Free electron laser |
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Storage ring light sources with electron energy >2.0Gev are highlighted inbold. Closed or decommissioned facilities are marked initalic. | |||||||||||
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