European XFEL

The European X-Ray Free Electron Laser (European XFEL) is a major research infrastructure of world importance: it creates ultra-short and ultra-intense flashes up to hard X-rays, as the first and only XFEL in the world – it generates these pulses with MHz repetition frequency under unique parameters. This new X-ray source emits pulses with three orders of magnitude more photons than previous X-ray sources (synchrotrons), opening up completely new research possibilities for scientists and industrial users. Using X-ray flashes, scientists are able to map the atomic details of viruses, decipher the molecular makeup of cells, take three-dimensional pictures of the nanoworld, record chemical reactions, and explore the inner planets. At the European XFEL, international research groups can use the complex experimental stations to carry out their experiments over several days or weeks. The European XFEL is located mainly in underground tunnels that are accessible from three different locations. The 3.4 kilometer facility runs from the DESY campus in Hamburg to the town of Schenefeld in Schleswig-Holstein. The research campus in Schenefeld is home to teams of scientists from all over the world conducting unique experiments.