Editing Diamond Light Source (section)

==Synchrotron==
[[File:Diamond Inside Panorama.jpg|thumb|Inside the experimental hall]]
Diamond generates [[synchrotron light]] at wavelengths ranging from [[X-rays]] to the [[infrared#Regions within the infrared|far infrared]]. This is also known as [[synchrotron radiation]] and is the [[electromagnetic radiation]] emitted by charged particles travelling near the [[speed of light]] when their path deviates from a straight line.<ref>Strictly speaking, when they experience an acceleration perpendicular to their direction of travel.</ref> It is used in a huge variety of experiments to study the structure and behaviour of many different types of matter.

The particles Diamond uses are [[electron]]s travelling at an energy of 3 [[electronvolt|GeV]]<ref>Equivalent to accelerating them through a voltage of 3 billion volts; 1 electronvolt is the energy an electron gains when accelerated by a potential difference of 1 volt.</ref> round a {{cvt|561.6|m}} circumference [[storage ring]]. This is not a true circle, but a 48-sided polygon with a bending magnet at each vertex and straight sections in between.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inside Diamond |url=http://extranet2.diamond.ac.uk/ISV/Flipping/InsideDiamond/Summer2015/InsidediamondSummer2015.pdf |year=2015 |publisher=Diamond Light Source |access-date=5 Oct 2019 |archive-date=20 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120185623/http://extranet2.diamond.ac.uk/ISV/Flipping/InsideDiamond/Summer2015/InsidediamondSummer2015.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The bending magnets are [[dipole magnet]]s whose magnetic field deflects the electrons so as to steer them around the ring. As Diamond is a third generation light source{{explain|date=September 2021}} it also uses special arrays of magnets called [[insertion devices]]. These cause the electrons to undulate and it is their sudden change of direction that causes the electrons to emit an exceptionally bright beam of electromagnetic radiation, brighter than that of a single bend when traveling through a bending magnet. This is the synchrotron light used for experiments. Some beamlines, however, use light solely from a bending magnet without the need of an insertion device.

The electrons reach this high energy via a series of pre-accelerator stages before being injected into the 3 GeV storage ring:
* an [[electron gun]] – 90&nbsp;keV
* a 100&nbsp;MeV [[linear accelerator]]
* a 100&nbsp;MeV – 3&nbsp;GeV booster [[synchrotron]] – {{cvt|158|m}} in circumference

The Diamond synchrotron is housed in a silver [[Toroid (geometry)|toroidal]] building of {{cvt|738|m}} in circumference, covering an area in excess of {{cvt|43300|m2}}, or the area of over six [[Association football pitch|football pitches]]. This contains the [[storage ring]] and a number of [[beamline]]s,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/Beamlines.html |title=Current list of Diamond Beamlines |access-date=2011-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202001944/http://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/Beamlines.html |archive-date=2016-02-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> with the linear accelerator and booster synchrotron housed in the centre of the ring. These beamlines are the experimental stations where the synchrotron light's interaction with matter is used for research purposes.  Seven beamlines were available when Diamond became operational in 2007, with more coming online as construction continued. As of April 2019 there were 32 beamlines in operation. Diamond is intended ultimately to host about 33 beamlines, supporting the life, physical and environmental sciences.

Diamond is also home to eleven [[electron microscope]]s. Nine of these are [[Cryogenic electron microscopy|cryo-electron microscopes]] specialising in life sciences including two provided for industry use in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific; the remaining two microscopes are dedicated to research of advanced materials.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home/Corporate-Literature/Annual-Review/Review2019/Beamline-Development-and-Technical-Summary.html|title=Beamline Development and Technical Summary - Diamond Light Source|website=www.diamond.ac.uk|access-date=2019-10-05}}</ref>