Full Breakdown
China's High Energy Photon Source Opens Global Call for Research Proposals
3/25/2026, 3:21:26 PM
Overview of the High Energy Photon Source
China's High Energy Photon Source (HEPS), a significant scientific facility often referred to as a "super microscope" and a giant "X-ray machine," has transitioned from construction to operational readiness. Located in Huairou Science City, HEPS is the country's first high-energy synchrotron radiation facility and ranks as Asia's first and the world's fifth fourth-generation synchrotron light source facility, boasting the highest designed brightness globally. This facility is designed to accelerate electrons to generate light, providing customized, high-quality X-rays for various scientific experiments.
Key Features and Capabilities
HEPS comprises an accelerator and multiple beamline stations, with the capacity to accommodate at least 90 beamline stations. In its initial phase, 14 user beamlines and one test beamline have been constructed. The facility can deliver X-rays with energies up to 300 kiloelectron volts, offering nanometer-scale spatial resolution, picosecond-scale time resolution, and energy resolution at the millielectron-volt level. These advanced capabilities enable researchers to observe microscopic structures and understand material processes and evolution mechanisms.
Recent Developments and User Experiments
After more than six years of development, HEPS began trial operations and initiated user experiments on December 3, 2025. By mid-February 2026, the facility had facilitated 222 experiments for 91 institutions, providing nearly 5,000 hours of beam time to users from various universities, research institutes, and leading enterprises both domestically and internationally. Notable pilot user experiments have included defect detection in aerospace materials, ultra-fast imaging during 3D printing processes, mesoscopic neural connectivity mapping of monkey brains, in-operando measurements in battery devices, and 3D nano imaging of semiconductor nanostructures. These experiments have yielded results that exceeded expectations and successfully completed validation tests, laying a robust foundation for future research.
Global Call for Research Proposals
To further prepare for its official operation, HEPS has announced its first global call for research proposals, inviting applications for all user beamlines in phase I until April 30, 2026. Approved projects will remain valid for two years. The HEPS team aims to collaborate closely with user institutions worldwide to support research and development across critical sectors, including aerospace, biomedicine, new-energy batteries, semiconductors, petrochemicals, energy and environmental technologies, and nanomaterials. This initiative is intended to accelerate industrial upgrading and foster innovation in these fields.
Conclusion
The opening of the HEPS and its global call for research proposals marks a significant milestone in China's scientific landscape, positioning the facility as a pivotal resource for advancing research and development across various high-tech industries.
