The article described the activities developed during the course, which happened at LNLS in July 2015
The December edition of the magazine Synchrotron Radiation News (SRN) brought an article concerning the São Paulo School of Advanced Sciences (ESPCA) on Recent Developments in Synchrotron Radiation (Synclight 2015), promoted by the LNLS between July 13th and 24th of 2015, at the campus of CNPEM.
Written by the event coordinators, Helio Tolentino, Harry Westfahl and Esen Ercan Alp, the article reported the main activities developed and the subjects involved under the context of the last developments in technologies related to synchrotron radiation. Read the accepted article below:
The São Paulo School of Advanced Sciences (ESPCA) on Recent Developments in Synchrotron Radiation
The São Paulo School of Advanced Sciences (ESPCA) on Recent Developments in Synchrotron Radiation was held between July 13-24, 2015 at LNLS in Campinas, Brazil. The school was attended by 96 students, 48 of them abroad and 48 from Brazil. 17 different countries. A total of 27 different nationalities were represented in this 12 days school. In addition, 22 lecturers presented 34 lectures.
Welcoming talks by A. José Roque da Silva, Director of LNLS, and C. Henrique de Brito Cruz, Scientific Director of FAPESP (São Paulo funding agency), gave the participants a chance to learn first hand the future plans for LNLS and Science in São Paulo. In particular, the ongoing construction of one of the brightest synchrotron x-ray source in the world, SIRIUS, provided a perfect setting for this summer (winter) school.
The lectures by Liu Lin (LNLS-Campinas) and Dennis Mills (APS-Argonne) introduced the source and optics properties to the audience. Aldo Craievich (USP-São Paulo) gave an introduction on x-ray diffraction and scattering. Ruben Reininger (APS) introduced ray tracing program, SRW, and gave examples of soft and hard x-ray beamline components like mirrors and monochromators of several different type.
Pietr Glatzel (ESRF) introduced inelastic x-ray scattering in the form of x-ray emission and fluorescence spectroscopy, and Cinzia Giannini (CNR-Italy) explained the principles of x-ray crystallography and how to exploit x-ray imaging techniques quantitatively. Ian Robinson (UCL-England) explained how to use the coherent properties of the beam for coherent Bragg diffraction, and Jianwei Miao (UCLA-California) explained the principle of phase retrieval and image reconstruction.
Ercan Alp (APS-Argonne) explained experimental details of momentum resolved inelastic x-ray scattering and nuclear resonant scattering, and gave examples from applications in high-pressure research. Several talks covered different aspects of x-ray absorption spectroscopy: Daniela Zanchet (Unicamp-Brazil) presented catalytic applications, Narcizo Souza Neto (LNLS-Brazil) explained application in rare-earth magnetism and high pressure, and Julio Criginski Cezar (LNLS-Brazil) extended the discussion range to soft x-rays. Daniel Haskel (APS-Argonne) covered the full treatment of applications in magnetic resonant scattering and magnetic dichroism
Eduardo Granado (Unicamp-Brazil) combined x-ray and neutron scattering to study new superconductors. Maria Carmen Asensio (Soleil-France) complemented this with a detailed description of ARPES technique, applied to graphene and graphene complexes. X-Ray Raman spectroscopy was the subject of Simo Huotari’s talk (University of Helsinki, Finland), who also touched upon Compton scattering.
Mario Murakami covered biological applications with step-by-step instructions on the way to crystallization, and Andrea Dessen (CNRS-France) on how to evaluate the crystal diffraction data, which was very much appreciated by students and experienced researchers alike.
Donald Sparks (University of Delawere – USA introduced soil science application of x-ray absorption spectroscopy. He presented the students first with the big picture of environmental issues confronting many nations today, and how effective remedies can be developed with the help of x-ray science. Ryan Tappero (NSLS, USA) extended this discussion to environmental sciences, completed by Dalton Abdala (LNLS – Brazil) with a discussion of environmental science. Harry Westfahl, Jr., the Scientific Director of LNLS presented the new beamlines planned for SIRIUS, the new 3 GeV low emittance ring, which is expected to be completed in 2018.
The school was accompanied by hands-on experiments and tutorials at 17 different beamlines of the LNLS, complemented with tutorials on the accelerator itself, x-ray detectors and x-ray optics. Each student had a chance to participate 5 experiments plus an experiment of their choice. LNLS staff had prepared detailed introduction to each beamline covering spectroscopy, diffraction and imaging, and students were then allowed to take data under the beamline personnel’s supervision.
The Sao Paulo School on Recent Developments in Synchrotron Radiation was able to attract some of the best young researchers in the world, as well as the leading scientists to lecture. Complemented with a superb hands-on experiments in the afternoon, the school provided an unprecedented opportunity for students and postdoctoral researchers. The fact that Brazil is building the brightest x-ray source in the World (SIRIUS) was the perfect back drop for the summer (winter) school. The vision of the funding agency, FAPESP, in terms of making Brazil a destination country for young talent to come and work can only be realized by showing the opportunities it has in research laboratories and in its Universities. Thus, one of the important aspects of the school in terms of explaining and showing the real opportunities available in Brazil was accomplished, with students sharing 13 days in Brazil with their own peers.
The friendly atmosphere, and the excellent hospitality offered to the visitors, students and teachers alike, complemented this positive picture. The school may boost thecurrent user capacity of the existing synchrotron, LNLS, and increase the scientific interest in the dozen or so new beam lines which are being designed for SIRIUS.
The generous support from FAPESP to fund the school, strong promotion by American Physical Society, and genuine embrace of the LNLS and CNPEM management and staff were the key to the success of this school.
Harry Westfahl, Scientific Director of LNLS
Helio Tolentino, Researcher, LNLS
Ercan Alp (Senior Scientist, Advanced Photon Source)
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Synchrotron Radiation News on 8 Dec 2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08940886.2015.1101326