Introducing the European strategy for accelerator-based photon science (ESAPS 2022)

Through new plans detailed in ESAPS 2022, the LEAPS consortium aims to strengthen Europe as a global leader in accelerator-based photon science.

New York | Heidelberg, 27 September 2023

The League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources (LEAPS) is made up of 19 large-scale synchrotron (SR) and Free-electron Laser (FEL) facilities, situated across 10 European countries. This contribution to the EPJ Plus Focus Point “Accelerator-based Photon Science Strategy, Prospects and Roadmap in Europe: a Forward View to 2030” introduces the European Strategy for Accelerator-based Photon Science (ESAPS 2022): a pan-European plan formulated by LEAPS aimed at addressing the future challenges and needs in science and innovation, which strengthens Europe as a global leader in many areas of research and technology. Through the plans set out in ESAPS 2022, LEAPS could soon provide valuable new resources for more than 35,000 researchers using its facilities today, spanning fields as wide-ranging as materials science, drug design, biochemistry, quantum technology, geology, and planetary science.

The advanced research facilities (SR and FEL) use particle accelerators to produce intense beams of electromagnetic radiation. By measuring how this light interacts with matter, researchers across numerous fields can access a diverse array of advanced techniques: including detailed mapping of molecular and electronic structures, damage-free probing of exotic new materials and biological samples, and high-resolution imaging of complex systems.

First formed following a collaboration of European facilities in 2017, LEAPS aims to expand cooperation with research infrastructures and partnerships across its member states and beyond. The consortium is developing schemes to better manage advanced infrastructures and offer improved services to users, industry and stakeholders, while also helping its users to share their expertise in photon science and technology. Through ESAPS 2022, the consortium lays out its plans for expanding these efforts in the coming years. The areas detailed in this paper include ambitious facility upgrades, plans for technological development, and timelines for the future use of its facilities.

References: 

Abela, R., Biscari, C., Daillant, J. et al. The European strategy for accelerator-based photon science. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 138, 355 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-023-03947-w

EPJ Plus Focus Point on Accelerator-based Photon Science Strategy, Prospects and Roadmap in Europe: a Forward View to 2030