Powder aerosol deposition (PAD or ADM) is a coating technique to produce ceramic films at room temperature. Although the deposition mechanism has been clarified in some respects, unanswered questions remain. The present work reports films of titanium oxide, which forms a typical PAD microstructure, and films of incommensurate misfit-layered calcium cobalt oxide (Ca 3 Co 4 O 9-δ, CCO-349), which forms a atypical For this work. Films made these two materials were examined using X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation and a scanning electron microscopy. It turned out that due to its aperiodic crystal structure, CCO-349 can be deformed more easily than conventional technical ceramics like TiO 2 . The deformation occurs when the layers in the crystal slide in the direction of the misfit. As a result, it is unnecessary to break the crystals, and a larger crystallite size remains in the film. Therefore, PAD films of CCO-349 have a different microstructure. • Films of Calcium Cobalt Oxide and TiO 2 were deposited on glass substrates • SEM and synchrotron XRD was performed to investigate the microstructure • The microstructure of the two materials showed significant differences • A new deposition mechanism is proposed for materials with layered crystal structure

A silicon carbide (SiC) X-ray beam position monitor is presented, based on a resistive charge-division principle derived from lateral-effect photodiodes and specifically adapted for synchrotron radiation applications. This device, referred to as a resistive X-ray beam position monitor (rXBPM), exploits a free-standing SiC membrane combined with a resistive p+-doped layer, enabling transmission-mode operation while preserving high radiation hardness and mechanical robustness. In contrast to conventional segmented X-ray beam position monitors, whose response depends strongly on the beam spot size and is typically limited to narrow linear regions, the resistive architecture of the rXBPM provides an intrinsically beam-footprint-independent position signal with an extended linear response region. The detector was fabricated using selective electrochemical etching to realize a thin membrane structure and was experimentally characterized at the microfocus beamline (MiFo) in the PTB laboratory at the BESSY II synchrotron facility using 5.4 keV X-rays. An average transmission of approximately 61% was measured, with good spatial uniformity across the membrane area. Raster-scan measurements demonstrate a linear position response over ranges of ±500 µm and ±1 mm around the detector center, with position sensitivities exceeding 0.157 mm-1 and estimated upper-limit noise-equivalent positions of a few micrometres. Three-dimensional COMSOL simulations were used to model charge transport and lateral charge division in the real device geometry, showing excellent agreement with experimental results and confirming the independence of the position sensitivity from the beam spot size over a wide range of operating conditions. These results establish SiC rXBPMs as a compact, beam spot size calibration-free and radiation-hard solution for beam diagnostics at modern synchrotron light sources, with particular relevance for applications requiring large active areas, extended linearity and minimal beam perturbation.

The structural biology method of X-ray footprinting mass spectrometry (XFMS) is available at two national synchrotron beamlines in the USA: one at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) on the West Coast and the other at the National Synchrotron Light Source II on the East Coast. XFMS is a solution-state technique that utilizes oxidative modifications of proteins at micromolar concentrations in aqueous buffer to extract structural information. X-rays are employed to generate hydroxyl radicals in situ, which covalently modify specific protein side chains. These modifications are subsequently quantified using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Ratiometric changes in modification levels between two protein states (e.g. with and without ligand) generate a relative solvent accessibility map of the protein pairs, which serves to reveal structural features. Up until recently, the XFMS capability was available as part of a shared program at the ALS without a dedicated beamline. In this article, wedescribe the commissioning of ALS beamline 3.3.1, dedicated to XFMS, including the installation of a new focusing mirror, the design and construction of a new endstation with automated sample handling and exposure capabilities, and the use of accurate empirical dose calculations using Gafchromic film. Finally, we showcase the new beamline capabilities using two protein systems.

In the context of the global big data deluge, concerted efforts are being made to address the challenges faced by large scientific facilities. These efforts are focused on providing users with the full potential offered by real-time, remote and self-driving experiments, where AI-driven analysis can guide experimental decisions in real time, while ensuring that the data pipelines adhere to the findability, accessibility, interoperability and reuse principles throughout their entire facility lifecycle. Besides all the efforts being made, a user-centric and user-friendly centralization of the overall scientific computing framework at the large scientific facilities remains a work in progress. To address this challenge the Big Data Science Center at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility has developed and deployed a centralized, cohesive and user-friendly platform on top of its already existing superfacility framework, which is designed to manage the complete data lifecycle at large scientific facilities. This user-centric platform has transformed the user experience, shifting focus from complex data operations to scientific interpretation. Consequently, the accessibility of the facility to users has been considerably enhanced, thereby expediting the pace at which their discoveries are made.

As the nature of spread through air spaces (STAS) in non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) remains a matter of debate, this paper presented the first application of 3D X-ray virtual histology to shed light on the origin of these elements. Five adenocarcinomas and two squamous cell carcinomas were selected from a cohort of NSCLC cases to serve as representative examples of neoplasms in which the presence of STAS had already been assessed through conventional histology. Although available only for research purposes, synchrotron radiation X-ray phase-contrast micro-tomography (μCT) allows virtual sectioning of whole paraffin blocks with spatial and contrast resolution similar to that of histology, thus enabling examination of STAS patterns (e.g., single and clustered tumour cells, micropapillary, solid nests). The 3D results demonstrated that free-floating STAS (i.e., micropapillary and solid patterns) were observed to be only the edges of tumour cell clusters connected to the primary tumour. In contrast, STAS located near alveolar walls or vascular structures suggested tumour cell migration along these surfaces away from the primary tumour. These findings indicate that most STAS types are clusters of cells connected to the main tumour mass. 3D X-ray virtual histological investigation helps to understand the morphological composition and spatial evolution of the tumour, as well as the presence of a tumour larger than that visible in the histological slide. From a radiological and surgical perspective, these findings may influence the assessment of the extent of parenchymal involvement and help guide the surgical approach.

Probing the challenges in bulk micromachining of vertical comb-drive microactuators designed for manipulation of synchrotron radiation

Three-dimensional X-ray histology offers a non-invasive alternative to conventional 2D histology, enabling volumetric imaging of biological tissues without physical sectioning or chemical staining. However, the intrinsic greyscale contrast of X-ray tomography limits its biochemical specificity compared with traditional histological stains. In this study, we extend deep-learning-based virtual staining to the X-ray domain via cross-modality image translation to generate artificially stained slices directly from synchrotron radiation microtomography (µCT) scans. Using over 50 co-registered pairs of µCT and toluidine blue-stained histology from bone-implant samples, we trained a modified CycleGAN network tailored for limited paired data. Whole-slide histology images were downsampled to the CT voxel size, with on-the-fly data augmentation for patch-based training. The model incorporates pixelwise supervision and greyscale consistency losses, enabling histologically realistic colour outputs while preserving structural detail. Results outperformed Pix2Pix and standard CycleGAN baselines across metrics of structural similarity, perceptual fidelity, and peak signal-to-noise ratio. Once trained, the model can be applied to full µCT volumes to produce virtually stained 3D datasets that enhance interpretability without additional sample preparation. This work introduces virtual staining to 3D X-ray imaging, which may provide a scalable route for chemically informative, label-free tissue characterization in biomedical research.

The short communications.

Fourth-generation synchrotron radiation sources based on diffraction-limited storage rings impose stringent requirements on beamline alignment precision, diagnostic reliability, and real-time monitoring under high-brightness operating conditions. To address these requirements, an integrated fluorescent-target imaging and real-time beam diagnostic platform has been developed at the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS). The system incorporates a radiation-tolerant and ultra-high-vacuum-compatible mechanical assembly with diamond and YAG:Ce scintillators for different heat-load conditions. A distributed multi-camera architecture implemented within the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) areaDetector framework enables synchronized multi-angle monitoring of beam profiles. Key beam parameters are extracted through online image processing and published as EPICS process variables for control-system integration. To support high-throughput diagnostic data handling, the platform further integrates the Mamba Data Worker framework, enabling coordinated multi-target acquisition, HDF5 storage, and automated metadata ingestion into a dedicated HEPS beamline alignment database. Representative deployment demonstrated stable synchronized operation of 13 cameras, with online analysis completed in less than 20 ms and end-to-end latency below 50 ms. These results establish a practical and scalable framework for beamline diagnostics, alignment support, and data-driven optimization atHEPS.

Unveiling mechanistic insights of inactivated Aspergillus niger spore by fishery-waste-derived chitosan via synchrotron radiation tomography.

We propose a wavelength-dispersive instrument for high-resolution soft X-ray spectroscopy at large-scale facilities like synchrotron radiation sources or free-electron lasers. Demonstrated by simulations at the Fe L-edge in the range from 700 eV to 730 eV, an energy resolution of (12-15) meV is enabled by a wavefront-corrected reflection zone plate (RZP) with an aperture of 40 mm × 190 mm on a spherical Si substrate (radius 69 m). Its tangential slope error and deformation are measured on-axis along the RZP to ±0.1 arcsec (r.m.s.) and ±6.1 nm (r.m.s.), respectively, and simulated at off-axis positions of the substrate with a similar amplitude. The surface waviness is compensated around the design energy of 715 eV by a two-dimensional, adapted grating groove distribution. As a benefit, the diffracted beam is collimated to a one-dimensional focal line whose length of 40 mm nearly equals the sagittal detector size (50 mm): no photons in the +1st diffraction order with an efficiency of 6.4% are lost, and the acceptance solid angle of 16 mrad × 3.3 mrad provides a high transmission of the signal from the source.

Low-impedance stripline kicker for the transverse instability suppression system of the synchrotron radiation facility “SKIF” light source

Infrared and terahertz spectroscopy performed at synchrotron facilities offers unique opportunities for probing matter under extreme and well controlled conditions. At the AILES beamline of Synchrotron SOLEIL, two complementary experimental setups have recently been developed to enable spectroscopy of submillimetric samples across a broad range of temperatures and pressures. These platforms operate from 10 K to 600 K and from vacuum up to 100 GPa, while accommodating a variety of sample environments, including liquid cells, diamond anvil cells and uniaxial strain devices. Combined with the high brilliance and stability of synchrotron radiation and advanced detection schemes, these setups are particularly suited for in situ and operando investigations, allowing real-time monitoring of structural changes, phase transitions and reaction dynamics under external stimuli. Their performance is illustrated through far-infrared measurements of water and ice over different thermodynamic states, demonstrating sensitivity to structural reorganizations and hydrogen-bond dynamics. These developments significantly expand the experimental capabilities of the AILES beamline and provide versatile tools for a wide user community, opening new perspectives for studies of functional materials, molecular systems and emerging phenomena under extreme conditions.

We present the design and field validation of a prototype readout system for radio detection of extensive air showers in autonomous large-area arrays. Developed for future experiments, the system integrates high-throughput digitization, FPGA-based real-time signal processing and triggering, GPS-based time synchronization, and a modular data-acquisition framework. The hardware is centered on a three-channel digitizing and triggering board, which combines high-speed ADCs, an FPGA, an Arm-based processor, GPS timing modules, and dedicated power-management and communication interfaces. The firmware implements continuous data reception, buffering, event building, digital filtering for narrow-band radio-frequency interference mitigation, and coincidence-based trigger logic, while the DAQ software adopts a two-tier architecture for detection-unit control, data transmission, and online monitoring. The prototype was tested at the GRANDProto300 site near Dunhuang, China, using two adapted detection units. Periodic-trigger data show the expected 40–200 MHz band-pass response and an LST-dependent background variation in the 60–80 MHz band, consistent with Galactic synchrotron emission. A dedicated beacon transmitter was used to validate the triggering and timing performance. Pulsed 100 MHz signals were successfully detected, and the inter-board timing-difference distribution shows a standard deviation of 7.76 ns over a 10 min period. Four-day monitoring of temperature and supply voltage further demonstrates stable field operation. These results validate the prototype architecture and provide a basis for further development of autonomous radio detection units.

In situ synchrotron radiation photoionization mass spectrometry (SR-PIMS) is a powerful tool for detecting gas-phase species including intermediates and products in gas-solid catalytic reactions. However, achieving sensitive and more comprehensive monitoring of gas-phase compounds with different ionization energies in a single measurement remains a significant challenge. In this work, a multiphysics ion trajectory simulation integrating a coupled computational fluid dynamics-direct simulation Monte Carlo (CFD-DSMC) method for continuum-rarefied flow was carried out for tracing the ion motion within the ionization region. The simulation results were applied to the design of the cage lens assembly of a modified SR-PIMS, and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.67 ppbv (S/N ≥ 3) was achieved under Kr-lamp calibration conditions for toluene. Furthermore, a residual gas analyzer (RGA) was coupled to the SR-PIMS for the complementary detection of organic products with low ionization energies (IEs, generally lower than 11 eV) and H2, CO, CO2 etc. with higher IEs, thereby reducing the need for separate measurements at multiple photon energies. The optimized SR-PIMS setup combined with RGA was successfully applied to probe the intermediates and products generated during the methanol-to-hydrocarbons (MTH) reaction over ZnO/HZSM-5 catalysts, and the time-evolved profiles for major species under different ZnO loadings were obtained and analyzed.

Online analysis of chemical components in heat-not-burn (HNB) cigarette aerosol is crucial for understanding the product's characteristics and guiding product development. Herein, a synchrotron radiation photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry method was established to online distinguish isobars and isomers in HNB cigarette aerosol, where photoionization efficiency (PIE) curves of HNB cigarette aerosol were scanned at different photon energies, and more than 43 components including aldehydes, ketones, alkenes, alkanes, and heterocyclic compounds were identified based on multiple linear regression (MLR) simulation. Additionally, the puff-by-puff dynamic evolutions of some typical components were investigated with the help of a smoking machine.

Modeling Gamma-Ray Burst Spectra with Convolutional Neural Networks: Fast-cooling Synchrotron Emission in a Decaying Magnetic Field

Sulfur vacancies (Svacs) are known to change the reactivity of transition metal sulfides, but their mechanistic role in small-molecule activation remains poorly understood. Here, we carried out synchrotron radiation X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-XPS) and dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT-D3) calculations to elucidate how Svac sites on FeS2(100) surfaces promote nitric oxide (NO) dissociation. SR-XPS results reveal progressive Fe oxidation, Fe-N formation, and the growth of adsorbed oxygen species as a function of NO exposure. The N/O atomic ratio evolution suggests recombinative N2 desorption from the surface. DFT-D3 calculations show that the dissociative adsorption of NO is thermodynamically more stable on the defective FeS2(100) surface than on the defect-free surface. Based on the Brønsted-Evans-Polanyi relationship, dissociative adsorption of NO may be kinetically favorable on the defective FeS2(100) surface. Two possible pathways are proposed: (1) O-O bond formation at Svac sites and (2) oxygen-induced S-S bond cleavage to yield O-S species and new Smono. The present experimental-computational study demonstrates the atomic-level role of Svacs in NO activation on FeS2(100) and provides chemical insight into defect engineering of sulfide-based catalysts for selective nitrogen oxide conversion.

Histologically stained tissue sections are considered the gold standard for studying microscopic anatomy and diagnosing disease in clinical practice. However, the processes of sectioning and staining are laborious, and the overall method relies on two-dimensional analysis. In contrast, X-ray-based virtual histology offers the advantage of virtual sectioning while retaining the full three-dimensional (3D) volumetric representation of the tissue. Nevertheless, its greyscale nature limits its specificity compared to conventional histological stains and creates an additional barrier for pathologists, whose training is primarily based on colour-stained histology. In this work, we present a histology-guided enhancement platform that can integrate the 3D information provided by synchrotron radiation phase-contrast microCT (PCµCT) with the rich visual features characteristic of histological stains. We introduce a multistage PCµCT-histology co-registration method combined with a virtual staining deep neural network and demonstrate successful virtual histological staining of PCµCT human and mouse lung tissue that closely resembles standard histology. We evaluate our strategy on multiple histological stains and apply it to identify 3D collagen-based remodelling of pulmonary arteries in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Overall, we expect our work to facilitate the integration of PCµCT as a clinical tool for 3D analysis of biological tissues and support non-destructive 3D pathology for disease biomarker exploration.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs), including molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), have emerged as a promising candidate for novel semiconducting devices. However, in many cases structural defects significantly affect the electronic properties of the material. The present study utilizes angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES) and surface-sensitive core-level spectroscopy (SXPS, XAS) with synchrotron radiation to investigate the interfaces between defect-rich MoS2 and perfluorinated cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPcF16). Defects were introduced in synthetic MoS2 bulk crystals by gentle argon and neon sputtering. Although the band structure is still visible after sputtering, especially SXPS reveals structural and electronic disturbances of the topmost MoS2 layer. We show how the Fermi energy in such defect-rich MoS2 can be tuned by the subsequent deposition of CoPcF16, which is verified by a shift in Fermi level for the Ne sputtered surface, under complex charge rearrangements including a charge transfer from all the substrates towards the cobalt atom of the organic molecule.