MAX IV Laboratory

MAX IV Laboratory
Name	MAX IV Laboratory
Established	2016
Location	Lund, Skåne County, Sweden
Type	Synchrotron radiation facility
Director	Mats Östling
Staff	~450

MAX IV Laboratory is a Swedish national synchrotron radiation laboratory located in Lund in Skåne County, opened in 2016. The facility hosts advanced accelerator complexes and beamlines used by researchers from institutions such as Lund University, Chalmers University of Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, and international partners including DESY, CERN, and European XFEL. The laboratory supports studies in physics, chemistry, materials science, biology, and environmental science with connections to organizations like the Swedish Research Council, the European Commission, and industry collaborators such as Ericsson and Volvo.

History

The laboratory evolved from earlier Swedish light source projects including MAX I, MAX II, and MAX III which involved research groups at Lund University and collaborations with institutes such as Uppsala University and Stockholm University. Planning for a next-generation facility drew on accelerator technology developments at CERN and research on multi-bend achromat (MBA) lattices influenced by work at Diamond Light Source and ESRF. Funding commitments from the Swedish government and regional authorities led to construction in the 2010s, with inauguration attended by representatives from Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and international delegations from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and National Institutes of Health. The opening marked a milestone following the relocation of many beamline groups from older sites and the consolidation of national synchrotron efforts involving entities like Vinnova and the Knox Foundation.

Facility and Design

The campus in Lund comprises two storage rings and associated experimental halls situated near academic districts and research parks that include collaborations with MAX IV Innovation and regional technology incubators. The design uses advanced vacuum systems, cryogenic infrastructure, and precision beamline mechanics developed in partnership with companies such as ABB and SKF. Architectural and civil engineering input involved firms with prior projects for European Spallation Source and research campuses at Karolinska Institute precincts. The laboratory’s site planning emphasized access for international user communities arriving via Malmö Airport and rail links to Copenhagen.

Accelerators and Beamlines

The accelerator complex features a 3 GeV storage ring employing the multi-bend achromat lattice pioneered through studies at ESRF and SPring-8, and a 1.5 GeV storage ring optimized for low-emittance soft X-ray production. Injector systems incorporate linear accelerator components and booster synchrotrons referencing designs from DESY and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Beamlines cover spectroscopy, scattering, imaging, and time-resolved techniques operated by consortia from institutions including Uppsala University, Linköping University, Naturvetenskapliga fakulteten, and international partners such as Max Planck Society groups. Examples of beamline capabilities draw on methodologies used at APS and NSLS-II for coherent diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering.

Research Areas and Applications

Research spans condensed matter physics groups studying quantum materials in collaboration with Chalmers University of Technology and Stockholm University, chemical catalysis projects linked to researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and industrial partners like AkzoNobel, and structural biology programs connected to teams from Karolinska Institute and University of Oxford. Environmental science studies interface with researchers from Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Umeå University investigating pollutants and biogeochemical cycles. Materials research includes battery and energy storage work coordinated with Uppsala University and industry consortia involving Northvolt. Biomedical imaging projects engage clinicians from Skåne University Hospital and international collaborators from Harvard University and Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids.

Organization and Funding

The laboratory is governed by a board with representatives from Swedish universities and research agencies, and operates under a framework involving national and regional stakeholders including Formas, Vetenskapsrådet (Swedish Research Council), and the Region Skåne administration. Funding combines core national allocations, competitive grants from entities such as the European Research Council and Horizon 2020 programs, and contracts with industrial partners including Sandvik and Saab. User access is managed through peer-reviewed proposal calls attracting international scientists from centers like Imperial College London and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne.

Notable Achievements and Awards

The facility has been recognized for innovation in accelerator design and coherent X-ray science, with staff and collaborating scientists receiving awards from organizations such as the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and international prizes in synchrotron science. Research outcomes have led to high-impact publications co-authored with groups from University of Cambridge, Princeton University, and Tohoku University and have supported patents and technology transfers to companies including Volvo and SKF. The laboratory’s technological advances in low-emittance storage ring implementation have influenced upgrades at facilities like ESRF and SPring-8, and contributed to broader initiatives coordinated by the International Union of Crystallography and the League of European Accelerator-based Light Sources.

Category:Synchrotron radiation facilities Category:Research institutes in Sweden