News 02/04/2003
£11.5 million for World-Leading Project at Daresbury Laboratory
Ministers give go-ahead for the next development stage of 4GLS in Cheshire
The building of the world-leading 4GLS (4th generation light source) has come one step closer with the announcement today of £11.5 million for an exploratory phase of the project. This phase involves a 3-year study to establish the technical know-how needed to build this innovative scientific research facility, including the construction of a prototype test facility.
4GLS is a proposed major research facility. If constructed, it would produce very short pulses of light, over a million, million, million times brighter than a household light bulb. Its peak power would be roughly equivalent to that needed to light every home in London. It would allow researchers to study molecules working in real time, follow chemical reactions as they happen, look at potential drug molecules as they interact with cells and examine the spin of electrons. The research carried out on 4GLS would help develop the next generation of computer memories, pharmaceuticals and catalysts.
Lord Sainsbury, Science and Innovation Minister said;
“This 3-year study into the technology behind 4GLS is an important step towards placing Daresbury at the cutting edge of accelerator science. 4GLS would provide scientists with a first-class facility to conduct vital experiments in many disciplines. Its potential capability is unique in the world, and its capacity to combine a wide range of experiments would establish the UK as a major international player in this technology.”
Professor Elaine Seddon, the 4GLS Project Manager, at CCLRC Daresbury Laboratory, said;
“This is a tremendous day for Daresbury Laboratory, and a great recognition of the abilities of the Daresbury staff who have done some real ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking to generate this truly next generation project. Twenty years ago, Daresbury demonstrated that it could lead the world with the building of the world’s first ‘second generation’ source, the current SRS – now we have shown that we can lead the world again with 4th generation technology.”
This news provides confirmation of a bright future for the Daresbury Laboratory,
The 4GLS design concept, developed by Daresbury staff, is truly revolutionary. Light is produced by a combination of two new technologies, an energy recovery linac (ERL) and free electron lasers (FELs), which together result in light up to a million times more intense than that from conventional ‘third generation’ synchrotron technology. 4GLS will be the most advanced low energy light source in the world.
The exploratory phase funding will enable a three-year research, development and design study programme. This will address technology challenges and ensure full and broad ranging exploitation of the Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) and Free Electron Laser (FEL) capabilities central to the 4GLS project. For more information visit www.4gls.ac.uk
The 4GLS project team is lead by Prof Elaine Seddon (Project Manager at Daresbury), Prof Wendy Flavell (UMIST, and Chair of the 4GLS Strategy Group) and Prof Peter Weightman (University of Liverpool, and Chair of the 4GLS Steering Group). The team includes staff from many parts of the CCLRC, including synchrotron radiation department (SRD), the Accelerator Science and Technology Centre (ASTeC) and the Central Laser Facility (CLF).
For further information on 4GLS and Daresbury contact:
Tony Buckley (CCLRC Daresbury Laboratory Press Officer) Tel: 01925 603272,
Mob: 07799 767603,
e-mail a.g.buckley@dl.ac.uk
