National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II)

An overhead view of Brookhaven National Laboratory's National Synchrotron Light Source II.

The NSLS-II is a state-of-the-art synchrotron light source which allows for scientists to probe the fundamental properties of matter, paving the way to new scientific discoveries and innovations.

Upton, New York Location

2015 Start of Operations

1,885 (FY 2023) Number of Users

Description

The NSLS-II is a state-of-the-art, at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), medium-energy electron storage ring (3 billion electron-volts) designed to deliver world-leading intensity and brightness, producing x-rays more than 10,000 times brighter than the original NSLS. The exceptional beam brightness enables the study of material properties and functions with unprecedented spatial and energy resolution and with the ultra-high sensitivity required to probe materials function at atomic-scale.

Science

The NSLS-II new advanced capabilities will support a wide variety of research in condensed matter and materials physics, chemistry, and biology – science that ultimately will have broad impact on a wide range of disciplines and foster new discoveries and create breakthroughs in critical areas such as energy security, environment, and human health. The resulting scientific advances will support technological and economic development in multiple sectors of the economy, with powerful applications to energy, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and the study of materials under extreme conditions.