Animation Transcript

What is Diamond - Animation Transcript

Located in south Oxfordshire, Diamond Light Source is a new scientific facility, called a synchrotron. It is made up of a large doughnut-shaped building containing the machine and an adjoining office building for the 350 scientists, engineers and support staff. The machine includes three particle accelerators: a Linear accelerator or Linac, a booster synchrotron and a storage ring. It generates very bright light that scientists use to study samples. Let’s follow a single bunch of electrons on their journey – in reality, hundreds of electron bunches are travelling around the synchrotron at any one time. A bunch containing billions of electrons is generated in the electron gun and then directed into the 30 metre Linac. Next in the booster, which is 158 metres in circumference, they are further energised to nearly the speed of light. The electrons are then injected into the storage ring – a 562 metre circumference machine. When accelerated to just under the speed of light and passed through strong electromagnetic fields, all charged particles will emit electromagnetic rays, the synchrotron light. As the electron particles race around the storage ring, they pass through specially designed magnets. These insertion devices wiggle the electron bunch, producing intensely bright beams of light. The light is transferred into the experimental laboratory or beamline, allowing scientists to learn about their samples in great detail. Each beamline is designed to carry out specific experimental techniques. The range of samples that can be studied is endless, from viruses to aircraft components and from ancient artifacts to food.