Sirius Updates

April 23rd, 2025

Mogno incorporates microstation for 3D imaging of pre-salt rock samples

Infrastructure developed in partnership with Petrobras enables multiscale and automated tomographic imaging of carbonate samples

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), a legal entity governed by private law linked to Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), and Petrobras have concluded the first phase of a technological partnership that will enable advances in exploration and expand research possibilities in oil and gas. The project basis is to use one of the research stations at Sirius, the largest and most complex scientific infrastructure in Brazil, to make 3D images of pre-salt rocks in an automated way, which is capable of quickly generating large volumes of data.

November 28th, 2024

Sirius now operating with 200 mA of current in the storage ring

Change represents a major advance in beamline research capabilities

The current stored in Sirius's accelerators has increased from 100 mA to 200 mA, the result of a period of maintenance activities that involved installing new components including two superconducting radiofrequency cavities. This change represents a major advance in beamline research capabilities at Sirius. The current upgrade takes place alongside a significant change in operations from March 2023, when Sirius began to run in "top-up" mode, ensuring that current remains nearly constant throughout operations. This continuous mode increases the number of photons emitted per day and provides more stability for the accelerator components and the beamlines. Installation of the two superconducting radio frequency cavities required integrating advanced subsystems, such as implementing a cryogenic system designed to operate without consuming helium, liquefying the gas in a closed circuit and maintaining ultra-high vacuum levels in the straight sections of the ring where the cavities were positioned. The capacity for high-powered radiofrequency generation also doubled from 120 to 240 kW. [gallery size="medium" link="none" ids="71895,71896,71897"] Commissioning for the cavities included adapting the vacuum for high-power operations, adjusting dozens of control circuits and integrating the new subsystems with those already present in the accelerators (which in many cases were also updated). Despite the complexity and interdependence between the subsystems, the process was completed efficiently within the time allotted. From now on, Sirius is expected to operate at approximately 200 mA during the periods when the beamline is available to users, twice the current of previous operations. To reach the 350 mA ultimately planned for the project, new facilities will be required. "This increase in current is the result of a proportional increase in the flow of photons to the beamlines, which improves the signal-noise ratio and significantly shortens the time needed for measurements," notes Harry Westfahl Jr., Director of the Brazilian Synchrotron Light National Laboratory (LNLS).

About CNPEM

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) is home to a state-of-the-art, multi-user and multidisciplinary scientific environment and works on different fronts within the Brazilian National System for Science, Technology and Innovation. A social organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), CNPEM is driven by research that impacts the areas of health, energy, renewable materials, and sustainability. It is responsible for Sirius, the largest assembly of scientific equipment constructed in the country, and is currently constructing Project Orion, a laboratory complex for advanced pathogen research. Highly specialized science and engineering teams, sophisticated infrastructure open to the scientific community, strategic lines of investigation, innovative projects involving the productive sector, and training for researchers and students are the pillars of this institution that is unique in Brazil and able to serve as a bridge between knowledge and innovation. It is responsible for operating the Brazilian Synchrotron Light (LNLS), Biosciences (LNBio), Nanotechnology (LNNano), and Biorenewables (LNBR) National Laboratories, as well as the Ilum School of Science, which offers a bachelor’s degree program in science and technology with support from the Ministry of Education (MEC).

August 2nd, 2024

Sirius receives superconducting radiofrequency cavity

The component will enable increased current in the storage ring, ensuring a higher photon flux for the beamlines

Between August and October of this year, the Sirius accelerators will undergo an important maintenance period. During these months, new components will be installed in the storage ring. By significantly increasing the photon flux to the beamlines, these changes will bring various benefits to users, such as faster experiments and higher temporal resolution.

July 29th, 2024

Sapucaia beamline receives first X-ray beam generated by Sirius

Research station dedicated to small-angle X-ray scattering now moves to the technical and scientific commissioning stage

The detector in the Sapucaia experimental station recently received its first beam of X-rays generated by the Sirius particle accelerators. This beamline, which is dedicated to small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), will be an important tool for studying the morphological and dynamic properties of nano and microstructured objects.

June 24th, 2024

Call for research projects at Sirius is extended until June 27th

Ten beamlines are in operation and can receive regular proposals.

The deadline forsubmitting proposals for the fourth call for research projects for ten Sirius beamlines has been extended until Thursday, June 27th. The extension is due to unusual systemic difficulties reported by some international users in submitting their proposals.

December 18th, 2023

Sirius announces results for third round of research proposals

232 new projects will be carried out at the Sirius beamlines during the first half of 2024

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), an organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), has released the list of scientific projects selected to be conducted within the research facilities at Sirius, Brazil's largest and most complex research infrastructure dedicated to analyzing the structure of all types of matter at the micro and nano scales.

November 24th, 2023

Delta undulator installed on the Sabiá beamline

Component is the first of its type to be installed in the storage ring of a synchrotron light source

This November, group members in the Technology Division at CNPEM were involved in the process of replacing the undulator on the Sabiá beamline, which operates in the soft X-ray range and is dedicated to X-ray absorption techniques, particularly linear or circular dichroism of magnetic materials (XLD, XMLD, XMCD) and photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM).

July 20th, 2023

Manacá beamline at Sirius expands to allow investigation of “small molecules”

A joint effort, involving local and external researchers, validated crystallographic study of small molecules, alongside the usual with proteins

Manacá, one of the beamlines operating at Sirius, was designed for analysis of the three-dimensional structure of macromolecules, especially proteins. However, in late May, a group of specialists, including physicists and chemists from universities in Brazil and abroad, came to Sirius to validate the current instrumentation in the beamline, so that it would be possible to welcome the research community that studies what are known as small molecules.

July 13th, 2023

Sirius announces selected applicants in its second call for research proposals

100 new projects will be carried out in the six research stations already open to users in Brazil’s largest scientific infrastructure

The Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), an organization overseen by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), has released the list of scientific projects selected to be conducted within the research facilities at Sirius, Brazil's largest and most complex research infrastructure dedicated to analyzing the structure of all types of matter at the micro and nano scales. One hundred proposals were chosen out of the 281 submitted during the second official call for research projects to be conducted at Sirius during April 3–24 of this year. The selected projects will be carried out during the second half of 2023, between August 2 and December 16.

June 27th, 2023

Mogno beamline receives its first external users

First research conducted during the commissioning period of the Sirius beamline dedicated to X-ray micro and nanotomography seeks to investigate a bacterium-associated vascular disease of citrus

Mogno is the beamline at Sirius dedicated to obtaining tomographic images with resolution that varies from the micro to nanometric scales. The Mogno beamline uses high-brilliance X-rays at 22, 39, and 67 keV produced by the particle accelerators at Sirius and offers real-time and non-invasive characterization of the internal structures of materials at different spatial scales.