Synchrotron

The Canadian Light Source is a national research center located at the University of Saskatchewan. They pursue research using a synchrotron. This is a type of cyclic particle accelerator that accelerates electrons to speeds approaching the speed of light. This leads to extremely powerful beams of light that can be tuned to any desired wavelength. CLS scientist built this end station. As I understand from their description, the beam of light coming off the synchrotron enters the optics hutch, the white bit that takes up about 2/3 of the right portion of this model, via that gray nozzle on the right side. Inside the optics hutch, the beam is focused and tuned to the desired wavelength. The resulting narrow beam leaves the optics hutch and hits the experimental hutch, the white bit on the left hand side of this photo. There scientists study how the light energy affects or interacts with some sample they are interested in.