04.05.2020 - #Corona: HZB resumes operation step by step
A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading worldwide and can cause severe respiratory symptoms (COVID-19). © CDC/Wikimedia commons
After a careful assessment of the situation, the management decided that operations at HZB would be resumed step by step from 4 May onwards. Strict security regulations apply. BESSY II will be available again for in-house research from 11 May. For Sars-CoV-2-relevant measurements a fast access to BESSY II has been established.
We will continuously update the information on this page. We follow the current recommendations of the Robert Koch Institute, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Senate Chancellery and ask all parties involved for their understanding.
Gradual resumption of operations at HZB
The HZB gradually resumes operations - under permanent observation of the situation and strict security regulations.
The BESSY II accelerator will be put back into operation, but will initially only be available to HZB researchers. In the next few weeks, the laboratories will again be able to operate in a restricted manner, in accordance with safety regulations. Please contact the laboratory managers for further details.
User operation at BESSY II will be suspended until 31 May 2020. Exception: Sars-CoV-2 relevant measurements on the MX-Beamlines can be performed. For research groups we have established a fast-track access.
The patient operation in the proton therapy takes place according to plan. Should changes become necessary due to developments, all those affected will be informed.
Furthermore these measures apply:
Immediate cancellation of all events and visitor groups until 20.07.2020 in accordance with the notification of the Senate Chancellery, e.g.:
- The Long Night of Science on 6 June 2020
- Physics for breakfast on 8 July 2020 is cancelled.
- Groups of visitors cannot visit our facilities.
- School lab groups are cancelled.
- Workshops and scientific events are cancelled.
- all trainings offered by HZB company sports are cancelled.
Access for external companies: In order to ensure effective containment of the corona virus, employees of external companies may only enter HZB if they have had no contact with an infected person within the last three weeks (neither privately nor professionally). This must be confirmed in a written form (see download box). Further information can be obtained from your respective contact person at HZB.
HZB staff will get fresh information via the intranet.
- Small powerhouses for very special lightAn international team presents the functional principle of a new source of synchrotron radiation in Nature Communications Physics. Steady-state microbunching (SSMB) allows to build efficient and powerful radiation sources for coherent UV radiation in the future. This is very attractive for applications in basic research as well in the semiconductor industry.
- New Method for Absorption Correction to Improve Dental FillingsA research team led by Dr. Ioanna Mantouvalou has developed a method to more accurately depict the elemental distributions in dental materials than previously possible. The used confocal micro-X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) analysis provides three-dimensional elemental images that contain distortions. These distortions occur when X-rays pass through materials of different densities and compositions. By utilizing micro-CT data, which provides detailed 3D images of the material structure, and chemical information from X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) experiments conducted in the laboratory (BLiX, TU Berlin) and at the synchrotron light source BESSY II, the researchers have improved the method.
- MXenes for energy storage: Chemical imaging more than just surface deepA new method in spectromicroscopy significantly improves the study of chemical reactions at the nanoscale, both on surfaces and inside layered materials. Scanning X-ray microscopy (SXM) at MAXYMUS beamline of BESSY II enables the investigation of chemical species adsorbed on the top layer (surface) or intercalated within the MXene electrode (bulk) with high chemical sensitivity. The method was developed by a HZB team led by Dr. Tristan Petit. The scientists demonstrated among others first SXM on MXene flakes, a material used as electrode in lithium-ion batteries.