A SCIENCE facility which uses electrons to produce bright light for scientists to study is upgrading.

Diamond Light Source, based at Harwell Science and Innovation Campus in Didcot, has been granted preliminary funding to develop its technology.

The upgrade, named Diamond-II as it aligns with the company’s 20th anniversary of being founded and 15th anniversary of “delivering science to the community”, involves a new machine and five new beamlines.

Oxford Mail: Example of one of the blown up pictures for the exhibition (Diamond Light Source)Example of one of the blown up pictures for the exhibition (Diamond Light Source)

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Professor Andrew Harrison, CEO of the company, said: “We are entering a new era of opportunity with the advent of fourth generation synchrotrons.

“Progress in accelerator technology means Diamond-II will offer the scientific community in academia and industry the opportunity to exploit much brighter photon beams and an increased coherence over a large energy range on all our beamlines and additional beamlines.

Oxford Mail: Example of one of the blown up pictures for the exhibition (Diamond Light Source)Example of one of the blown up pictures for the exhibition (Diamond Light Source)

“It will help inspire the next generation of STEM professionals and create new opportunities for researchers in universities, research institutes and industry, ultimately having a lasting impact on our society and the economy.”

An outdoor photographic exhibition from the company’s archive is also taking place to commemorate the double anniversary until Sunday, May 22.

Oxford Mail: Example of one of the blown up pictures for the exhibition (Diamond Light Source)Example of one of the blown up pictures for the exhibition (Diamond Light Source)

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Visitors will be able to view the images on sections of Diamond’s exterior perimeter fence surrounding the ‘iconic silver doughnut’ shaped building.

The images have been blown up to around 1.2m x 0.8 metres and have been directly printed onto aluminium weatherproof boards.

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland, she joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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