25 years of BESSY II light source for the good of society

When BESSY II in Berlin Adlershof went into operation in September 1998, it was a milestone for the reunified Berlin and in some ways a starting point for the success story of Adlershof. After only four years’ construction time, the successor to the first Berliner synchrotron radiation source that was previously in West Berlin (BESSY I) now stood in the eastern part of the city.

Today, BESSY II is a magnet for scientific exchange. Every year, the research facility receives more than 2700 visits from guest researchers from all over the world, who use the special X-ray light for their research. BESSY II has delivered results that have led to breakthroughs in many research fields. Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is therefore celebrating the 25 years of existence of BESSY II together with the international scientific community. More about the highlights from 25 years of research at BESSY II, the plans for the future, and the people who reliably operate the machine are to be found in the special anniversary magazine here.

BESSY II is a material discovery machine

The most important experiments today are those for developing the materials we need for an environmentally friendly energy supply of the future.

Be it solar cells, catalysts for green hydrogen, batteries, or quantum materials – the special X-ray light (aka synchrotron light) from BESSY II can be used to look inside everything. HZB and its partners have expanded these experimental possibilities considerably in the recent years. In-situ and in-operando measurements allow researchers to “watch live” how a battery gets charged or discharged, for example, or how a catalyst works. That helps experts to further optimise the materials they are made of so that they work even more efficiently.

Plans for the future

25 years of BESSY II are incentive for Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin to continue operating the light source at the highest level, and to allow societally important research to continue into the future. Accordingly, the work for a comprehensive upgrade to BESSY II+ has been underway in the recent months. Many components of the accelerator and several experimental stations (beamlines) are being renovated and modified in order to offer even more attractive research possibilities for science and industry. HZB experts have also developed a concept for a successor source in Berlin Adlershof, which will allow this important research to continue further still for decades to come. After all, a powerful light source that delivers soft X-ray light is essential for Germany as a science and technology location, and secures jobs in the long term.

Congratulations on the 25th anniversary

Bettina Stark-Watzinger, Federal Minister of Education and Research

“I congratulate Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie for the 25 extraordinarily successful years of its synchrotron BESSY II. Its strong pulses of synchrotron light give us insights into materials such as the special layers used in modern storage media or solar cells, which are only a few nanometres thick. They form the basis for many applications in science and industry. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research has strongly supported this development and will of course continue to support this highly relevant research infrastructure.”

Dr. Ina Czyborra, Berlin Senator for Science, Health and Care

“I congratulate you on the 25th anniversary of BESSY II and wish you exciting experiments and great scientific breakthroughs in the years to come, from which we as a society can all benefit. Keep on building your relationship with the world and the public and sharing this enthusiasm for the research you are doing. We need people like you to show how important research is in our everyday lives.”

Prof. Dr. Cornelia Denz, President of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)

“The application of synchrotron radiation is a success story – not least for metrology. With this technology, research into innovative materials for the semiconductor industry, battery production or space-based astronomy can be transferred directly into the economy and society. I am therefore looking forward to the continued strategic cooperation between HZB and PTB as much as to the future upgrade from BESSY II to BESSY III.”

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Panne, President of the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM)

“Congratulations on the 25th anniversary! Your partnership with our institute is invaluable because the ‘brightest light in Berlin’ that you provide is the irreplaceable source of light that drives materials research and contributes to a safer and greener Germany. With the BAMline, we will continue to gain new insights and pave the way for transformative discoveries.”

Prof. Dr. Jean Daillant, Director General of the French synchrotron radiation source SOLEIL

“For 25 years now, BESSY II has been a hub of creativity in accelerator technology and the use of synchrotron radiation. At this respectable age for a facility, it is still a vibrant scientific centre with impressive contributions to energy research, quantum and functional materials and health.”

>> 25 Years of BESSY II – Special anniversary edition of the HZB magazine lichtblick​​​​​​​

More about the highlights from 25 years of research at BESSY II, the plans for the future, and the people who reliably operate the machine are to be found in the special anniversary magazine “25 Years of BESSY II”.

Contact (additional information and pictures)
HZB Press Office: redaktion@helmholtz-berlin.de
Silvia Zerbe, phone: +49 30 8062 42 607
Florentine Krawatzek, phone: +49 30 8062 14 922