Building Brilliance: The Upgrade of Argonne’s Advanced Photon Source

Argonne is a multidisciplinary science and engineering research center where talented scientists and engineers work together to answer the biggest questions facing humanity. For nearly 30 years, one of the tools helping them do that has been the Advanced Photon Source (APS).
The APS is one of the premier X-ray light sources in the world. It generates ultrabright X-ray beams that scientists use to help design tougher materials, develop next-generation batteries and solar cells, and fight infectious diseases.
Advancements in technology, however, left the APS in need of a comprehensive upgrade to remain at the forefront of discovery. As microelectronic circuits get smaller, for example, more powerful X-ray beams are needed to study them while they operate.
This documentary takes you behind the scenes of the upgrade, from conception to commissioning of the new facility. The upgraded APS will generate X-ray beams that are up to 500 times brighter, enabling scientists to examine materials at scales previously unimaginable. This will lead to innovations and discoveries that will help us face the energy challenges ahead.
For more information on the APS Upgrade ►► aps.anl.gov/APS-Upgrade
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This research was funded in part by DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy Advanced Reactor Technology program. Argonne’s METL facility’s operations and maintenance are funded by DOE’s Office of Nuclear Energy National Reactor Innovation Center.
ABOUT ARGONNE
Argonne National Laboratory seeks solutions to pressing national problems in science and technology by conducting leading-edge basic and applied research in virtually every scientific discipline. Argonne is managed by UChicago Argonne, LLC for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science.
ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OFFICE OF SCIENCE
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit the Office of Science website.

[@genericalias5756]

I got to see it in person! Thank you to the gentleman you showed us the views from the top floor and got us yelled at by some people in the middle of a meeting.

[@xanthonyjamesx]

Yes! ❤

[@Erik-rp1hi]

Money well spent. I own a small machine shop and I'm jealous I did not get to help in making some parts for this tool.

[@herbertfountain6251]

What is the new capacity that is enabled by the upgrade? What can researchers do now with the new facility that they were unable to do previously? Are there any questions this will help us answer that could not be answered before? I wish more of this was covered in the video.

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

Because sadly productions like this are meant to be clearly digestable to the likes of geriatric congressman, not deep dives into science. Still happy it exist but the audience it expects is disappointing

[@JonnyTime]

The new machine can generate X-rays up to 500 times brighter than the old one. Researchers will be able to see materials at levels they couldn’t have before, like the structure of atoms, etc. There are quite a few light sources around the world, but the APSU is now one of the most powerful.

[@patrick247two]

I'm going to apply what I have learned here in Satisfactory.

[@D43vil]

Oh it's completely fair to compare this instrument to art, I get the same feeling when looking at the magnets. Would love some high resolution photos that could be made into wall art

[@NHOrus]

Old modules were marked radioactive. What kind of radioactivity it is? How long are they hazardous and how much? I expect quite a little, but...

[@Gojo_Satorou274]

When it is under operational it can generate intense x-rays which would be immediately fatal so the modules are usually marked radioactive but under normal operation no body is allowed inside storage ring tube

[@toma.3d]

@4:37 is that a Tie Fighter on her neck??? 😃

[@Lyle-In-NO]

Yup! I believe it was Darth's if memory serves me correct. Gee, that movie inspired many to pursue the sciences. Including moi.

[@Jay-pm1sh]

Surprised they got that all done, given the amount of red tape- must have taken thousands of meetings. The pace of scientific discovery seems to be slowing down, in general.

[@napalmholocaust9093]

"Momentum" or ownership bias against a better design?

[@MattLitkeRacing]

We are able to understand measurements. You can give the actual measurements instead of comparing it to hair. Because is that thin hair or thick hair?

[@chimpo131]

ok dip 💩

[@chimpo131]

ok di p💩

[@MattLitkeRacing]

@ what have you built?

[@carlsaganlives6086]

Short and curly.

[@MattLitkeRacing]

@ those are thiccer

[@Quadski1]

I have a question. The comment was made that "electrons are circulated at close to the speed of light ". Yet the title says Photon Source? Obviously its a particular accelerator. But which particle?

[@movax20h]

When charged particles (in this case electrons, which are very light, compared to something like proton or ions), are accelerated (i.e. their direction is deflected to go from straight to go straight but in a different direction, even by small angle), they emit electromagnetic radiation. So photons. If they travel very fast, and you deflect them very strongly in a very short amount of space and time, you get very high energy (frequency) photons, in this case X-rays. Various points along the circle (in fact it is more like 200 segments of straight line, each deflecting just by a little), electromagnets are deflecting by slightly different amounts, allowing to very the frequency / energy of the X-rays. Very high energy X-rays , especially if they are very well controlled (i.e. their frequency is very well controlled, and tightly focused) have a lot of uses, in crystalography, chemistry, biological and material research, to understand what is going inside stuff, or even how it is built on atomic scale (i.e. determining types and location of atoms in a unknown molecule for example).

[@kellymoses8566]

Is Trump going to shut down the Department of Energy thinking it is the Department of Education?

[@napalmholocaust9093]

You guys really gotta do something about your scientists drawing genitalia on the equipment, then you wouldn't have to spend the time blurring it out.

[@mrmcphilsconfidential8562]

Almost a mere gimmick. But the information matters. This kind of imaging answers real questions, not just speculations.

[@trentpratt6187]

I was able to watch about 3 minutes of this and then I got sick and tired of you guys keep showing somebody's face talking

[@mrzoinky5999]

I don't mind the straight on camera view for a little while (These people worked hard ; they deserve some recognition.), but I got annoyed at looking at the side of their face as if I was watching them talk to someone else. :)

[@trentpratt6187]

Nothing worse than a documentary that about every 30 seconds keep showing you somebody's face making comments A good documentar will never show the narrator's face I didn't turn into your video to watch people's faces talking I want to see the upgrade I don't need people's comments every 30 seconds And most of all I don't want to see their faces every 30 seconds that just ruins the video It becomes more about them than what the title says

[@patricksullivan3919]

5000 “scientists “ wasting time and money.

[@jaymanier7286]

Regarded

[@cTwelve]

Why are you watching this video?

[@mrzoinky5999]

Let me guess - you figure we should still be on horse and buggy's?

[@patricksullivan3919]

Waste of time and money. NO ONE CARES. NO ONE WILL BENEFIT

[@ArgonneLab]

Thanks for watching! Your comment helps us realize how many people may not know about the scientific advances that the APS has contributed to over the years. Millions of Americans benefit from APS research. From the microelectronics in your phone to the batteries in electric vehicles to the COVID and RSV vaccines, discoveries at the APS have tangible, real-world impacts

[@Erik-rp1hi]

I care, big time. Money well spent.

[@randomchannel-px6ho]

If you studied the physics you'd realize the string implication that photon is you

[@Lyle-In-NO]

You clearly have no idea how much mankind has already benefited by the research completed by these devices.

[@mrzoinky5999]

Well they could develop better vaccines .... oh yeah ; you probably thought that was a hoax. You guys voted in Trump, and now we get to turn our watches back 100 years and marvel at how he is able to afford so many billion dollar yachts while they take away your Social Security.