an international, interdisciplinary center for research

from the origins of matter to the fundamental principles of life

TeV-Energy Superconducting Linear Accelerator
A new large-scale facility is currently being planned and developed by an international collaboration at the
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY in Hamburg, Germany. TESLAthe acronym stands for Teraelectronvolt-
Energy Superconducting Linear Acceleratoropens up new possibilities for both research and a broad range of
applications in a variety of fields. Characterized by an unusual degree of versatility, the new facility is ideally
suited to form the heart of an innovative, interdisciplinary research and development center.
 Contents
4 TESLAA Project for the Future

6 How Will the TESLA Research Center Help Us

6 Gain fundamental Insights into Energy and Matter,Space and Time?

8 Better Understand the Processes of Life?

10 Shape the Future of Our Society?

12 Particle AcceleratorsAt the Cutting Edge of Science and Technology

16 Harnessing DESYs Know-How

18 What Will the TESLA Research Center Look Like?

20 EllerhoopA New Site for Research

23 Safety and the Environment

24 TESLAAn International Center of Excellence in Europe

26 SuperconductivityTomorrows Technology

27 Where Do We Go from Here? The Next Steps on the Way to TESLA

28 Particle AcceleratorsShedding Light on the Innermost Secrets of the Universe

32 The Dawn of Time

34 A Key to the Universe?(Super)Symmetry

38 New AcceleratorsNew Forms of Matter?

40 X-Ray Lasers Offer New Insight into the Multiplicity of Nature

51 Synchrotron RadiationA Twenty-Five-Year Success Story with a Promising Future

56 The X-Ray LaserLight for a New Century

58 Glossary

61 Masthead

Prof.Dr.Albrecht Wagner
Chairman of the DESY Board of Directors
T
he thirst for knowledge and the yearning to
explore new frontiers have led mankind to em-
bark upon journeys across the oceans,through
the deserts, and even to the moon. These same de-
sires have also compelled us to conduct empirical re-
search into the world around us. Scientists invented 3
the telescope and the microscope to see the vast and
the tiny more clearly. Theories were developed to ex-
plain the images obtained and predict phenomena
as yet unseen. The picture of the world thus created
has been undergoing refinement ever since.
The 20th century has seen the development of
three of the cornerstones of modern physics: quan-
tum mechanics, relativity theory and the discovery
of antimatter. Together they have helped us under-
stand the nature of matter and are deservedly re-
garded as one of mankinds greatest achievements.
It was only through the development of increas-
ingly powerful particle accelerators that it became
possible to gain deep insight into the building blocks
of matter. Currently our most precise microscopes,
these accelerators allow us to probe into the secrets
of the big bang.They are also sources of intense elec-
tromagnetic radiation, which are used to perform
pioneering investigations in the fields of physics,
chemistry,geology,biology and medicine.
The TESLA project at DESY was established within
the framework of an international collaboration to
help us better understand the universe and our im-
mediate surroundings. This brochure provides an in-
troduction to TESLA, which has been designed to ex-
plore previously uncharted territoryboth as a
particle accelerator and as an intense X-ray laser.
In addition to arousing your curiosity,our brochure
has been conceived to provide you with a better idea
of what TESLA is all about and what it is capable of.
We also hope it will answer some of your questions
and encourage you to come to DESY for an up-close
look at the cutting edge of scientific research.
Pleasant reading,
Albrecht Wagner
 TESLA
A Project for the Future

T
he microscope, which was invented more than 350 years ago, is one of
humanitys most important achievements. The driving force behind its
4 development was the desire to study the smallest building blocks of na-
ture. Using their new research tool, scientists were soon making new and un-
expected discoveries as they looked deeper inside matter. Increasingly useful
applications were an inevitable consequence of their work.
The study of atoms, molecules and the structures they form has been a hall-
mark of the 20th century.The insights that resulted for physics, chemistry, biol-
ogy and medicine ultimately built the foundations on which our stan-
Into the microcosm
dard of living is based. Our most advanced technological
on a voyage of discovery
productsthe TV, the computer, electronics, the cars we
drive, medicines, modern medical equipment and new medical analysis tech-
niquesall owe their existence to this research.The conclusion is inescapable:
Research pays off.
But the voyage of discovery into the secrets of nature is far from over. There
are still many unknown areas to explore.Without a doubt, as we probe deeper
into the subatomic world, we will encounter great surprises. The instruments
constructed to assist in these journeys of discoverythe descendants of the
microscope, as it wereare the particle accelerators. Not only do they lead to
fundamental insights into the structure of matter; they also have practical util-
ity. Such facilities can already be found in all large hospitals, where they have
1

3
2
1 Microcosm in a water droplet:
A chain of algal cells seen through an optical microscope.
2 Making things bigger:
The optical microscope can reveal structures measuring
less than a thousandth of a millimeter in size.
3 Viewed in a different light:
The individual cells of the algal chain as seen by an
electron microscope.
 5
4
opened up new possibilities in diagnostic proce-
dures as well as in tumor therapy.
Nowadays, we also now know how to build very
large accelerators, which we use to pursue basic re-
search aimed at exploring the still unknown hori-
zons of the subatomic world.
The TESLA project, which is being developed at
the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY in
Hamburg, not only creates extensive new opportu-
nities for research into the smallest building blocks
of matter; it also opens up a broad range of applica-
tions in a variety of areas. A large number of inter-
ested partner institutions in Germany and abroad
are collaborating to ensure that TESLA has every
chance of success.
TESLA stands for TeV-Energy Superconducting
Linear Accelerator. In other words, the accelerator
will operate in the teraelectronvolt range. Tera is
the scientific abbreviation for 1,000 billion. The
electronvolt is the unit of energy used in particle
physics. Specifically, it is the energy gained by a par-
4 A new type of microscope:
The components for the TESLA
accelerator are put through
their paces in a pilot facility. 5
5 New technology for TESLA:
The particles will be brought
up to speed in so-called res-
onatorssuperconducting
acceleration structures made
from purest niobium.
ticle with unit electric charge when it is accelerated
through a potential difference of one volt.
A versatile instrument capable of opening up
new territory in a great variety of disciplines, TESLA
has the potential to
The TESLA project
become the heart of
sowing the seeds of
an innovative research
center. The broad range of re-
innovation
search areas and fields of application include the
structure of matter and its creation in the big bang,
the study and development of a variety of materi-
als, the sequence of events in chemical and biologi-
cal processes, the structures of complex molecules
and even the processes of life .
The construction of a facility of this type and the
creation of an interdisciplinary research center
linked to it is an ambitious and complex venture.
However, the time seems ripe for undertaking it.
Moreover, Hamburg and the neighboring state of
Schleswig-Holstein are ideally equipped to handle
such a challenging project.
6

How Will the

TESLA Research Center Help Us
Gain Fundamental Insights into Energy and Matter,Space and Time?

H
umankind has always endeavored to understand the secrets of nature.What is mat-
ter? What does it consist of, and where did it originally come from? What exactly are
space and time? The search for the answers to these questions is by no means over,
despite the great progress made during the 20th century.We have already discovered many
of what are probably the smallest building blocks of matter. But the simple question of what
constitutes their mass remains unsolved. The same is true of the forces that hold the build-
ing blocks of matter together and cause them to form complex structures such as atomic nu-
clei, molecules, crystals and living organisms. We are still far away from our goal of under-
standing how, in the course of approximately 15 billion years, the universe evolved from its
origins to its current state.
 An accurate description of the earliest phase in the
Matter
life of the universeduring which all matter was
created from energyand of the smallest struc-
tures of matter would greatly help us understand
the material world. Studying these processes and
structures is a technical and scientific challenge of 7
Atoms
the first order, and one which requires exception-
ally powerful high-energy particle accelerators. To
meet this challenge, a large accelerator for protons
is being constructed in an existing ring Molecule
Small, smaller,
tunnel at the CERN research center in
but whats the
Geneva, Switzerland. Known as
smallest? the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) Atom

and scheduled to begin operation in mid-2005, it

has the potential to significantly advance research
Electrons Nucleus
into the smallest known structures. However, the
LHC only allows access to part of the area of interest
to physicists. For this reason, it must be supple-
mented by a linear accelerator for electrons and
positrons,such as the one planned in the TESLA pro-
ject. With such a facility, it will be possible to con- Nucleus
duct investigations with surgical precision and
thereby gain new and deeper insights into the na- Neutron

ture of our world.

Proton

Left When matter meets

antimatter:Electrons and
positrons will collide head-
on at maximum speed in
the TESLA linear accelerator
facility.
Proton
Right Inside matter:
Using existing accelerators, Quarks
physicists can study
structures such as quarks,
which measure,at most,
one hundred-millionth of
an atomic diameter
(i.e.around 10-18 meters).
But are they really
the smallest particles?
 How Will the TESLA Research Center Help Us
Better Understand the Processes of Life?

The prospect of acquiring fundamental new knowl-

Maximum brilliance:This comparison of current third-
8 generation synchrotron radiation sources world-
wide shows the dramatic leap in brilliance offered
by the TESLA project.Even the free electron laser
included in the TESLA Test Facility (TTF-FEL) will exceed
the brilliance of current radiation sources in the
same energy regions by some orders of magnitude.
The free electron lasers integrated into TESLA would
produce X-ray radiation of the highest brilliance.
(ALS,APS,SLAC/LCLS:United States;BESSY-II,PETRA:
Germany;ESRF:France;SPring 8:Japan)
1035
edge about the origin of the universe and the inner-
most structure of matter is in itself a powerful ar-
gument in favor of building a large accelerator,even
if the enterprise requires considerable effort and
expenditure. At the same time, fundamental in-
sights into the workings of nature have always
proven useful and beneficial over the long term.
The TESLA project, however, will open up new
possibilities in areas where benefits are already ob-
vious. To this end, a Free Electron Laser (FEL), is to
be added to the linear accelerator facility. A linear
accelerator linked to a FEL can produce extremely
short-wavelength X-rays with laser-like properties.
An X-ray laser of this sort would be far more power-

TESLA-FEL
ful than any currently available source of X-rays.
Such a development opens up exciting new op-
1033 portunities both for X-ray-based research and for
SLAC/LCLS

X-ray applications in a wide variety of fields.One ex-

TTF-FEL
(M) ample is materials research, where it will be possi-
1031
ble to portray materials in three dimensions with
TESLA-spontan.
an accuracy extending to atomic scales. Moreover,
(50 GeV)
the images could even be produced in the form of
1029 TTF-FEL
holograms.
Peak brilliance

It will also be possible to take snapshots of atoms

TESLA-spontan. in various short-lived states. This will allow re-
1027 (20 GeV)
searchers to look closer than ever before into the
composition and behavior of material structures.
The results could also help in the quest to develop
1025
TTF-FEL new types of materials.
spontan. ESRF-Undulator Possibly even more fascinating is the prospect of
(ID26) SPring 8
1023 (Undulator) studying the molecular structure of chemical and

BESSY II
biological substances and their reactions in snap-
(U49) APS shots with atomic resolutions. The potential of
BESSY II (Undulator)
PETRA
1021 (U125)
(Undulator)
ALS (U5.0)

1019
101 102 103 104 105 106
Photon energy (eV)
 such an investigative tool is enormous and could
significantly advance our understanding of the
processes underlying life itself.
One of the greatest authorities on the natural sci- 9
ences is Sir John Maddox.
The new X-ray laser will
The longtime editor
offer a brilliant view of
of the leading British
the atomic landscape
science magazine Nature
was asked some time ago to list the most impor-
tant riddles of the universe. He named four: What
was the origin of the universe? What does matter
consist of? How did life originate and what is its na-
ture? How does the brain work?
The TESLA project promises to open up new av-
enues of research into the areas Maddox listed. And
not only that: although these areas of inquiry seem
rather diverse at first glance, the approaches and
techniques they require overlap extensively. Com-
bining them in an interdisciplinary research center
will not only bring scientists from various fields to-
gether, it will also promote work on complex sub- An X-ray view of the atomic
jects that overlap traditional areas of study. As a re- landscape:Diffraction
sult, it will be possible to open up new scientific images like the one above
territory that goes beyond the boundaries of indi- are produced when biomol-
vidual disciplines. ecules are irradiated with
X-rays.Using X-ray diffrac-
tion,scientists can decode
the internal structure of
complex protein molecules
such as enzymes.This infor-
mation helps us better
understand how such mole-
cules work.
 How Will the TESLA Research Center Help Us
Shape the Future of Our Society?

Experience clearly teaches us that the benefits resulting from large-scale facilities such as
TESLA cannot be accurately predicted.That said, it is also true that major advances in science
and the opening up of new areas of knowledge are generally associated with the introduc-
10 tion of more sophisticated or completely new types of instruments. Investigative instru-
ments used for interdisciplinary research are especially important in this regard because
they act at the points at which various areas of thought and knowledge overlap. As such,
they promote creativity.
The facilities of the TESLA research center will be available to innovative companies as well
as scientists pursuing basic research. Research groups from universities around the world,
various Max Planck Institutes and other research centers will be able to exploit TESLAs accel-
erator facilities and laboratories. So too will industrial laboratories and companies. TESLA
will offer all of these users the opportunity to conduct scientific and technical research at a
first-class facility in an international environment.

Our heads are round

so that our thoughts can change direction
F. Picabia
 11

Due to its unique nature, the TESLA research center

will also make a key contribution to the training and
continuing education of highly qualified scientists
and engineers. The students and young scientists
who work there will be able to pass on their knowl-
edge and research results to others during their
later careers in industry or academic institutions.
Using the experience they have acquired in a world-
class research center, they will become part of the
innovative, creative force we need to safeguard our
standard of living. The knowledge and experience
gained by these young people will help promote
both scientific and economic development. Equally
important, it will also promote the understanding
and acceptance of different cultures.
 Particle Accelerators
At the Cutting Edge of
Science and Technology

T
he knowledge that the rich variety of phenomena observed in the world
is reducible to only a few types of elementary particlesquarks and lep-
12 tonsis undoubtedly one of the most significant discoveries of our 1 Inside the eyeof a super-
times. Measuring less than a billionth of a billionth of a meter, these particles microscope:Tracking down
are incredibly small. To see them, we require the most powerful microscope tiny particles requires ex-
ever built:the particle accelerator. tremely large,sophisticated
We can also use particle accelerators to investigate the way in which parti- detectors.The photograph
cles of matter are generated from energy. The information shows the complex interior
Leptons,quarks gained helps us reconstruct how matter was first created at the of one of HERAs four build-
and then?
birth of the universe. In addition to the pio- ing-sized detectors during
Beyond our current knowledge of neering intellectual feats of such major assembly work.Electrons
the microcosm physicists as Albert Einstein and Werner Heisen- and protons are brought to
berg, it is above all the experimental work with particle accelerators that has collision inside HERA
provided us with truly profound insights into the origin of the cosmos and the DESYs large ring accelera-
innermost structure of matter. torat extremely high en-
Fifty years ago, accelerators were items of laboratory equipment. In the ergies.The detector mea-
meantime, they have developed into huge facilities measuring several kilome- sures the directions in
ters in length. Using these modern microscopes,we have been able to obtain which the electron,the pro-
increasingly detailed information about the composition of matter.The search ton or its remaining frag-
has so far led to the quarks and leptonsperhaps the fundamental building ments fly off after a colli-
blocks of matter,and thus of the entire world. sion.Using this
The current state of affairs is reminiscent of the situation more than 100 information,physicists can
years ago when the chemical elements, the molecules and the atoms were dis- draw conclusions about the
covered. Once the physical laws governing their behavior had been worked out physical properties of the
in the form of quantum theory, the way to innumerable applications became particles involved.
clear. Ultimately, the creation of our own high-tech world is a product of these
developments. An analogous breakthrough on the level of elementary parti- 2 As it was:Particle tracks
cles still lies ahead. At slightly higher particle energies, it is very probable that recorded in a bubble cham-
the known laws of physics will reach the limits of their validity. At this juncture, ber used in DESYs first
we expect to discover new physical phenomena and processes. Its a fascinat- ring accelerator between
ing prospect.With the help of powerful accelerators,we can make this leap. 1964 and 1972.

Making tracks:When two

particles collide in the HERA
ring they produce an
event.The image on the
right shows one such event
observed using a detector.
Key information can be ob-
tained from the track direc- R

tions and particle energies. Z

 13

1
2
At the same time, the discovery that particle accel-
erators can also be used as extremely versatile and
powerful radiation sources has opened up a rich
and unexpected horizon of research possibilities.
The radiation involvedsynchrotron radiation
is produced when electrons are forced to travel
along curved paths by the magnets inside a particle
accelerator. A real scientific windfall, synchrotron
radiation has already demonstrated its worth and
could prove useful in all kinds of new, as-yet unex-
plored applications. The reason? In addition to be-
ing sharply focused, it is extremely intense and can
be delivered in short pulses. It also covers a broad
spectrum of electromagnetic waves, ranging from
visible light to ultraviolet radiation and X-rays.
With its wide range of applications, synchrotron
radiation has opened up new avenues for research
and development in such areas as solid state and
surface physics, geophysics, chemistry, molecular
biology, materials science and medical diagnostics.
In fact, more than 50 particle accelerators world-
wide are now being used to conduct experiments
with synchrotron radiation. Pioneering work in the
analysis of complex biological molecule structures,
for example, has been accomplished with the help
of the DESY accelerator DORIS.
Particle accelerators have meanwhile developed
into highly versatile research tools with a very
The secrets of plastic:
Scattering images like
those on the right are
produced when a plastic is
irradiated with X-rays.
The properties of various
materials are studied at
HASYLAB with the aim of de-
veloping new materials
with enhanced properties.
broad range of applications. They can be used to ir-
radiate cancerous tumors, for example, or to pro-
duce radioactive substances for medical uses. They
can also synthesize heavy elements which are sub-
sequently used to date fossils. Particle accelerators
are playing an increasingly important role in micro-
chemical analysis, in the production of integrated
circuits, and in material processing applications.
They can even be used for welding. In the future, it
may also prove possible to use accelerators to man-
age controlled nuclear fusion.
Moreover, new applications are being discovered
all the time. Even the humble
TV set contains a small accel-
A versatile
source of light for
erator: the color pic-
tures from our favorite
science and technology
shows are in fact generated by weakly accelerated
electron beams.
The TESLA project comprises a linear particle ac-
celerator with a free electron laser capable of gen-
erating synchrotron radiation with exceptional
properties. Not only is the X-ray laser beam very in-
tense; it is also produced in extremely short flashes.
Such an installation opens up a broad range of fas-
cinating possibilities for both fundamental re-
search and practical applications.
 15

1
2

1 Shedding light on the matter:

One of the 42 measuring stations in the
Hamburg Synchrotron Radiation Labora-
tory (HASYLAB).Researchers working
there use the synchrotron radiation pro-
duced by DESYs DORIS accelerator for a
wide range of applications.

2 High-resolution,3D imaging:
A synchrotron radiation image of a bone
showing the effects of osteoporosis.By
helping scientists establish the causes of
bone diseases,studies like this play an
important role in the development of
new therapy methods.
 Harnessing DESYs Know-How

S
ince 1959, the DESY research center has been involved in designing, constructing and
operating particle accelerators. Universities and research institutes both at home and
16 abroad make use of DESY facilities in the pursuit of their scientific goals. Backed by an
experienced and dedicated team, DESY has succeeded in creating facilities with an interna-
tional reputation. Each year, they are used by more than 3,000 scientists from 35 countries
around the world. DESY thus enjoys a first-class reputation as far as international collabora-
tion is concerned. To date, foreign institutes have invested several hundred million German
marks in DESYs installations.
DESY has also achieved a successful marriage between pureparticle research and the ap-
plications of synchrotron radiation. In this respect, it is unique in Europe.The spectrum of re-
search conducted using DESYs accelerators ranges from particle physics to biology and
medicine. The Max Planck Society, for example, has set up three working groups at DESY,
while the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) has its very
International own outstation located on DESY premises. The TESLA pro-
researchers from 35 countries
ject will bring a completely new dimension to DESYs activi-
work here
ties. The superconducting technology currently being developed for TESLA
by a major international collaboration is unique. So too is the opportunity it representsa
fact that has already been recognized by a range of foreign institutions, which have joined
the project under the leadership of DESY.
Hamburg and the neighboring German state of Schleswig-Holstein offer a first-class loca-
tion for an international research center.Both the people and the politicians here are firm be-
lievers in progress. Their positive attitude toward science has been amply demonstrated in
the past, particularly by their readiness to welcome an institution like DESY. The facilitys
large HERA accelerator actually runs right under the middle of Hamburg. In this respect, the
DESY setup has no equivalent worldwide. DESY employees and visiting scientists from Ger-
many and abroad all feel very much at home here. Building upon this solid foundation, DESY
can make a key contribution to shaping tomorrows world.
Experience has shown that the establishment of a major research center not only benefits
the surrounding area, but also the country where it is located. Such institutions create the
fertile ground needed to nurture future know-how. At the same time, such a center can
rapidly develop into a crystallization point for the scientific and business community in the
region. After all, those closest to the center of research will probably be quickest when it
comes to recognizing new applications. Last but not least, a center capable of this type of
quality research will attract highly-motivated, creative minds. And that is good news for
both the scientific community and the local one. Both will benefit substantially from this in-
flux of talent.
 17

1 2
4 3

People at DESY
1 Some 250 physicists from 33 institutes in 13 countries
work on HERA-B,one of the four experiments currently
under way at the HERA ring.
2 The latest scientific theories and results are presented
at international symposia.DESY is both a host and an
organizer of such specialist conferences.
3 Social gatheringsare more than just pleasant inter-
ludes during the conference.They allow contacts to be
made and encourage the exchange of ideas. Such events
also promote mutual understanding within the interna-
tional research community.

4 The DESY Research Center:Institute buildings and

workshops.
 What Will the
TESLA Research Center
Look Like?

U
nlike conventional ring accelerators, the linear accelerator at the heart of TESLA is
long and straight. This is because the accelerator is intended for use with electrons
18 and positronsparticles that can only be accelerated to the extremely high ener-
gies of 500 to 800 GeV along a straight line. (GeV stands for gigaelectronvolt; giga is the sci-
entific abbreviation for one billion). In this state, the particles possess as much energy as
they had about a trillionth of a second after the big bangi.e., before atoms and atomic nu-
clei came into being.
To attain such very high energies, it will be necessary to construct two 15-kilometer-long
acceleration sections. The accelerator will be located in a subterranean tunnel stretching
from the Hamburg district of Bahrenfeld to the northern border of Pin-
neberg,in the state of Schleswig-Holstein.
7
Tiny packets of electrons and positrons (anti-electrons) will be
Westerhorn accelerated by electric fields in low-temperature, supercon-
ducting metal tubes. The electrons will approach from the
23 south, while the positrons fly towards them from the
north.The particles will be brought to collision in the mid-
Elmshorn dle of the accelerator, where the two acceleration sec-
Ellerhoop tions meet and the energies of the electrons and
ELBE positrons are highest.

Pinneberg

The TESLA design:The electron (e-) linear accelerator begins at

the existing HERA ring in Hamburg; the positron (e+) accelera-
DESY Hamburg tor starts in the northern part of the Pinneberg district.An un-
derground detector studies the particle collisions, which take
place at the center of the approximately 33-kilometer-long
accelerator.This is also where the X-ray laser hall is located.
Top view

e+ e-

e- e- e- e+ e+ e+

33 Km
DESY Hamburg-Bahrenfeld Ellerhoop Westerhorn

20 m

e+ e-
e- e- e- e+ e+ e+

Side view
Despite their extremely small size, a few of the par-
ticles will collide head-on every few seconds. Physi-
cists will be able to examine this process in detail
under controlled conditions using a detectora
huge assembly of thousands of measuring and
monitoring instruments. Located underground at
the spot where the particles collide, the detector
will help researchers gain an even deeper insight
into the structure and creation of matter and the
universe.
However, this is just one part of the research pro-
gram.The TESLA accelerator is also capable of open-
ing up an exciting new field of interdisciplinary
research. Using sophisticated arrangements of
magnetic fields,researchers will force the highly ac-
celerated electrons to follow zigzag paths. This
causes the electrons to emit synchrotron radiation
of very short wavelengths. As this radiation will
take the form of an X-ray laser beam, the arrange-
ment is called a Free Electron Laser (FEL).
Today, optical lasers are extremely widespread.
Their uses range from CDs to surgical applications.
Up until now, however, it has proved impossible to
realize the dream of an X-ray laser with wave-
lengths below a tenth of a nanometer (nano is the
scientific abbreviation for billionth). In order to cre-
ate a laser one normally requires a system of mir-
rors. The basic problem is that there are no suitable
mirrors for X-rays with wavelengths below 100
nanometers. This is why it is necessary to use a dif-
ferent procedurethe so-called SASE principle
(Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission).
In this process, the X-rays created by the electrons
passing through the magnetic field interact with
the particles in a feedback process. The result is a
rapid increase in the electrons spontaneous radia-
tion emission. However, this effect can only be
achieved using electron and positron beams of pre-
viously unattained qualitya quality that will first
be achieved by the TESLA facility. 19
It will be possible to integrate several X-ray lasers
of different wavelengths in the TESLA accelerator.
As a consequence, research groups from various
fieldsincluding physics, chemistry, materials
research, the earth sciences, medicine and the life
scienceswill be able to simultaneously exploit
the new opportunities. The result could be the
creation of a
large interdis-
33 kilometers of superconducting
accelerator and an underground
ciplinary research
center based on this
detector the size of a house
unique source of radiation. Many potential indus-
trial applications of the radiation will also arise.
The southern end of the TESLA tunnel will be lo-
cated on the DESY site. Running some 10 to 30 me-
ters below the surface, it will follow the curvature
of the earth.
Service buildings for cooling supply system and
tunnel access will be located above ground every
few kilometers. The experimental halls will be situ-
ated on a larger site at the center of the tunnel
route, just outside the village of Ellerhoop. Some of
these halls will be located underground at about
the same depth as the tunnel. Aside from the re-
search center in Ellerhoop and the cooling supply
halls, practically no part of the facility will be visible
from the surface.
20

Ellerhoop A New Site for Research

S
ituated some 15 kilometers from the DESY facility in Ham-
burg-Bahrenfeld is the village of Ellerhoop. A quiet haven
of meadows, tree nurseries, farms and private homes, the
village is also easy to reach via the highway. This is where the
beams of particles racing towards each other in the tunnel
Cultivating
deep within the earth at nearly the speed of light will at-
new ideas
tain their highest energies. It is also the planned location
for the research center.
Experimental halls, workshops, offices, conference rooms, lec-
A center for research: ture halls, library rooms and supply facilities will be built on the
The village of Ellerhoop surface and around the tunnel at a depth of about 20 meters.
and its surroundings. Several hundred scientists, engineers, technicians and students
The arboretum (on the left will work at the facility.
in the photograph) is The uniqueness of the TESLA center, the broad range of its re-
a painstakingly designed search program and the expertise of the scientists and engineers
park facility boasting a working there will all combine to stimulate innovative minds.
wide range of attractions. One result of this creativity could be the development of pioneer-
ing technologies in such areas as electronics, sensor technology,
materials research,computer science and biotechnology.
From Discovery
to Application
Delving into natures best kept secrets is a real chal-
lenge, particularly as far as young people are con-
cerned. Providing young adults with insight into ba-
sic research is thus a good way of encouraging them
to take up a career in science .Working at an interna- 21
tional interdisciplinary research center such as TESLA
will provide students, post-graduates and up-and-
coming scientists and engineers with the sort of
knowledge and expertise a forward-looking society
will soon need.Benefits will include:
the thrill of working on innovative projects,
increased interdisciplinary thinking and an aware-
ness of the rewards to be gained through coopera-
tion with other disciplines,
the opportunity of being involved in a challenging
scientific and technical project,
the chance to prove oneself in first-rate interna-
tional teams.

A research center like TESLA will generate a wide

range of ideas that could eventually find their way
into new products.
Up until now, few young people in Germany have
been aware of the opportunities for turning ideas
into the sort of marketable products that can subse-
quently be used to establish new companies. This is
why it is so important to hone the entrepreneurial
skills of young professionals and create an environ-
ment that provides adequate advice and support.
As far as DESY is concerned, satisfying this require-
ment is both a responsibility and a unique opportu-
nity. Young scientists working at TESLA will be en-
couraged to suggest projects, which will then be
examined as to their feasibility. The projects ac-
cepted will receive an appropriate level of support for
a specified period of time. In addition to providing
workspace, DESY will also offer advice regarding ad-
ministrative matters and provide computer and
communications services.
As soon as they are able to stand on their own two
feet, the participants will move on in order to make
room for other projects.
22

1
2
 Safety and the Environment

N
o other research institute in the world can match DESYs experience
when it comes to operating a particle accelerator near densely popu-
lated areas. Several accelerators are located on DESYs main site in the 23
Hamburg districts of Bahrenfeld and Gro Flottbek. Not only does HERAs
6.3-kilometer-long, ring-shaped tunnel run beneath Hamburgs Volkspark; it
also curves its way beneath several residential and
A downtown accelerator which has industrial areas. The accelerator, which has been in
operated safely since 1992
24-hour operation since 1992, is absolutely safe and does
not affect the environment.
An accelerator creates neither noise nor noxious fumes. It cannot explode.
When in operation, however, it does generate radiation. For this reason, no one
is allowed in its immediate proximity during operation.As the tunnel is located
sufficiently deep below the ground, the amount of radiation reaching the sur-
face is negligibly small.
1 DESY and its accelerators: In the case of the TESLA accelerator it amounts to less than one hundredth of
The illustration depicts natural background radiation. This figure is based on calculations and experi-
the underground tunnels ence gained by DESY scientists. It has been confirmed by two independent
housing the PETRA and studies carried out by the ko-Institut in Darmstadt and by TV Nord in
HERA ring accelerators. Hamburg.
Also shown are the sites Could problems occur in the event of an incident? The answer to this ques-
of the four large halls tion is No. This is because an incident of any kind would instantly interrupt
(North,South,East,West) the acceleration of the particles. The electrons and positrons in the tunnel at
containing the HERA de- the time would be absorbed by a massive block deep below ground. The same
tectors.The PETRA ring thing actually happens following particle collisions when the accelerator is in
encompasses the DESY operation. As a result, even should an incident occur, radiation could not be
site.In addition to run- emitted into the environment. Moreover, unlike a nuclear power plant, the ac-
ning under residential celerator does not contain radioactive fuel. A facility such as TESLA can there-
and commercial areas, fore be built beneath inhabited areas without creating any potential risks or
HERA also tunnels its way endangering the environment.
beneath Hamburgs
Volkspark.

2 On location:Visitors
to DESYs Open Day
inspect a section of
the HERA tunnel.
 TESLAAn International
Center of Excellence in Europe

W
ith its scientific and technical resources, the TESLA research center will act as a
magnet for scientists and engineers from around the world. It therefore seems
24 appropriate to establish and operate it as an international facility. Individual
countries cannot afford to go it alone on such large-scale and costly projects, particularly in
the field of pure research.Worldwide cooperation on a broad scale is essential in this area.
At present, no fewer than 38 scientific and research institutes from nine countries are
working to develop the TESLA accelerator under the overall leadership of DESY. Foreign insti-
tutes are contributing a substantial portion of the funds required to finance
A joint project
the project. In addition, working groups, both at home and abroad, have
with international
come together to work out a joint research program for the future TESLA
participation
accelerator. Motivated by the opportunity to create a new center of excel-
lence,European institutes are making a major contribution to this program.
Successfully coordinating and directing the construction,operation and utilization of such
a large facility over many years requires an appropriateand innovativeorganizational

Yerevan Physics Institute

IHEP Academia Sinica,Beijing Tsinghua University,Beijing
Institute of Physics,Helsinki
CEA/DSM (DAPNIA,CE-Saclay) IN2P3 (IPN Orsay + LAL Orsay)
RWTH Aachen Max-Born-Institut,Berlin-Adlershof TU Berlin TU Darmstadt TU Dresden
Universitt Frankfurt GKSS,Geesthacht DESY,Hamburg & Zeuthen Universitt Hamburg FZ Karlsruhe
Universitt Rostock Universitt Wuppertal
INFN Frascati INFN Legnaro INFN Milano INFN & Univ.Roma II
Polish Academy of Science University of Warsaw Institute of Nuclear Physics,Cracow
Univ.of Mining & Metallurgy Polish Atomic Energy Agency Soltan Inst.for Nuclear Studies,Otwock-Swierk
JINR Dubna IHEP Protvino INP Novosibirsk INR Troitsk
ANL Argonne IL Cornell University,Ithaca NY FNAL,Batavia IL UCLA Los Angeles CA
 Country A Country B Country C Germany

Institute 1 Institute 2 Institute 3 Institute 4 Institute 5 DESY

Shareholders Meeting

25
Administrative Council

Project Management
Board of Directors

Institute DESY

Institute Institute

Institute
TESLA Project Institute

structure.DESYs proposal is to establish an interna-
tional joint project on a temporary basis. Although
able to make use of the entire DESY infrastructure,
this project would, in effect, constitute a totally in-
dependent institute. In line with their specific areas
of expertise, foreign institutes would then assume
responsibility for the construction of individual
parts of the facility in their own countries. Upon
completion, the components would be delivered to
Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein.
As partners in the joint project, the institutes
would be responsible for the facility as a whole.
Accordingly, the funds for the construction and op-
eration of the facility provided by participating
countries would flow into the project via the na-
tional institutes. In other words, such a model
would enable the individual institutesand the
countries to which they belongto take full advan-
tage of the scientific and technological benefits of
the new facility.
The great virtue of this kind of collaboration is
that the expertise and ideas of scientists and engi-
neers from around the world become an integral
part of the project. The result would be an ideal al-
liance of international expertise.
The legal framework for the project would be pro-
vided by a state treaty signed by the countries par-
ticipating in the joint project. In effect,each country
would pledge its commitment to supporting the in-
stitute for a fixed period25 years,according to ini-
tial planningand to reaching a timely decision on
the future existence of the facility. Germany, as the
host country, would play a special role. Certain as-
pects of the way in which the center is runfor ex-
ample, the salary structure for personnelwould
have to be based on German norms.
 Superconductivity
Tomorrows Technology

T
he development work for the TESLA facility began in 1992. Six years later, it achieved a
milestone when it proved possible to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing su-
26 perconducting acceleration structures of the requisite quality. Superconductors offer
zero resistance to electric current. In other words, there is no energy loss during current flow.
However, superconductivity can only be achieved with certain substances and at very low
temperatures.The work already performed for the TESLA facil-
The operating temperature
ity has yielded meaningful progress in the field
of the superconducting acceleration sections
of high-frequency superconducting technology.
is a chilly -271 C
Working in cooperation with industrial companies, DESY has shown that it is
possible to generate and control electrical fields almost five times as strong as was the case
before 1992.This achievement also represents an important technological advance on com-
peting activities in the U.S. and Japan, which have put their faith in non-superconducting
technology for their new accelerator projects.

Cleanroom for high-tech:

TESLAs superconducting accel-
eration structures are man-
ufactured from pure niobium.
To ensure very clean process-
ing,they are prepared and as-
sembled in a cleanroom.Such
an environment contains al-
most one million times fewer
dust particles than normal air.
Where Do We Go from Here?
The Next Steps
on the Way to TESLA

T
he next step is the construction of a pilot facility. This 300-meter-long
superconducting linear accelerator with a free electron laser will be built
on the DESY site. The aim of the pilot project is to demonstrate that the 27
SASE principle (the principle behind the X-ray laser) also functions at
The TESLA Research Center
wavelengths shorter than 100 nanometerstwo orders of magni-
up and running
tude below the wavelengths achieved in previous tests. The pilot facility
by 2010?
will go on display at DESY in Hamburg as part of the EXPO 2000 World
Fair. As of 2003, numerous interested parties from the world of research will be
able to use the facility.
The experience gained during construction of the pilot facility will make it 1 Futuristic and multifunctional:
possible to draw up a detailed project plan for TESLA, which will then be sub- DESYs 1,200-square-meter Light for the
mitted for evaluation and approval. DESY is convinced that the TESLA model is New Millenniumexhibition will be open
superior to other projects with similar aims and that it will prevail in the inter- to the public in this new hall from June 1
national research scene. In the event that the approval procedureincluding to October 31,2000.As well as experienc-
the review by the German Scientific Council (Wissenschaftsrat),the public plan- ing the fascination of research,visitors
ning procedure for the construction and the international agreementspro- will be able to check out the tunnel where
ceeds rapidly,tunneling work could begin in 2003. the X-ray laser will be assembled.After
Allowing for a further six to eight years of construction time, the scientific the EXPO,the new building will be con-
community could have a new kind of research facility at its disposal by the year verted into an experimental hall that will
2010.The TESLA research center would then provide fertile ground for pioneer- be available to researchers from 2003.
ing research in a broad range of fieldsfrom the investigation of the origin 2 A milestone on the way to TESLA:
and composition of matter to the fundamental principles of life itself. On March 19,1998,a state treaty provid-
ing the legal planning requirements for
the construction and operation of TESLA
was signed by representatives of Ham-
burg and Schleswig-Holstein.

1 2
28

Particle AcceleratorsShedding Light on

the Innermost Secrets of the Universe

W
hat is the nature of matter? Which laws do its fundamental particles obey? How
do these fundamental particles fit together to form the universe in all its com-
plexity? These questions are probably as old as the quest for knowledge itself.
For thousands of years an object of philosophical inquiry, matter and the universe itself have
been systematically explored by astronomers and physicists since
The heart of the matter:
Galileo Galilei, Johannes Kepler, and Isaac Newton. Observation, ex-
quarks and leptons perimentation and mathematical theory all came together in their
are the stuff of our world
researchwith remarkable success. Since those pioneering days,
our knowledge about the basic stuff of the universe and what binds it together has pro-
gressed by leaps and bounds. At the same time, this knowledge has spawned an immense
range of practical applications. Today, however, we stand at a decisive juncture, facing the
challenge of deciding on the next steps in this great endeavor.
Leptons Quarks

Electron Electron neutrino Up Down

Mass 0.0005 GeV Mass unknown Mass 0.004 GeV Mass 0.007 GeV

29

Muon Muon neutrino Charm Strange

Mass 0.1 GeV Mass unknown Mass 1.5 GeV Mass 0.15 GeV

Tau Tau neutrino Top Bottom

Mass 1.8 GeV Mass unknown Mass 174 GeV Mass 4.7 GeV

As a new millennium begins, we already know that the vast multiplicity of The basic building blocks
matter in all its guisesfrom the furthermost stars to the living organisms on of matter:Today,we know
this planetis ultimately composed of a very small number of basic elements: of 12 matter particles:
six types of lepton and six types of quark. Atoms, molecules and therefore all 6 quarks and 6 leptons.
known substances are made up from these fundamental particles. Atoms, for Atoms are composed of
instance, consist of an atomic nucleus plus electrons, which are a type of lep- electrons and two types of
ton. The nucleus, on the other hand, consists of protons and neutrons, each of quark (up quarks and down
which is in reality a swirling cloud of quarks. quarks),which make up the
The matter we generally encounter in daily life contains only two of the six atomic nucleus.
types of quarks. If, however, highly energized protons and electrons are forced
to collide, matter immediately becomes richer and more democratic. In this
state, all six types of lepton and quark suddenly appear. No type is preferred
over the other. Just such a situation occurred during the first fractions of a sec-
ond after the birth of the universe in the big bang, when the temperature of
matterand therefore the energy of the particles of which it is composed
was incredibly high.
These are major and far-reaching discoveries.Why was nature created in this
way and not another? Is everything laid out according to a universal and un-
changeable plan, and if so, what does it look like? What are the chances of find-
ing previously undiscovered forms of matter and perhaps universes of a differ-
ent kind? Answering such questions demands an even deeper insight into the
basic relations and innermost secrets of our world.The TESLA linear accelerator
is a precision instrument that will help us extend the boundaries of the known.
 The Standard Model
of the Particles
What physicists rather modestly refer to as a
model is in fact much more: it is an imposing edi-
fice composed of mathematical theories that quan-
titatively summarize our present-day knowledge of
30 the elementary building blocks of matter and the
forces that hold them together.
According to the current state of knowledge, mat-
ter is made up of a total of 12 fundamental building
blocks: six quarks and six leptons. These, in turn, are
divided up into three families, each containing two
quarks and two leptons.Ordinarymatter,including
stellar material, is composed exclusively of particles
belonging to the first family. These are the u and d
quarks, which make up all atomic nuclei, and the
electron, one of the leptons in the first family. During
the first few moments of the universe, immediately
after the big bang, the particles of all three families
lived together alongside one another. Although
the particles from the two remaining families are no
longer found in matter, they can be recreated from
concentrated energy, for instance in cosmic rays or
particle accelerators. However, they do not generally
exist in a stable form of matter,except perhaps at the
core of a few exotic stars. Each of the 12 particles has
a corresponding antiparticle. For example, the an-
tiparticle of the electron is the positron. Particle and
antiparticle have opposite electrical charges but are
otherwise very similar. Should they come into con-
tact, they annihilate one another and create a burst
of radiation.
In addition to the particles that make up matter,
the Standard Model also contains force particles:
gluons,photons and the W and Z bosons.The interac-
tions of the matter particlesthe electroweak and
strong interactionsarise from the exchange of the
force particles. The Standard Model makes precise
predictions about the behavior of these forces. Up
until now, all the predictions put to the test have
proved to be correct. However, most of the predic-
tions are extremely difficult to calculate, and there-
fore only a part of them have been tested.
The third important element of the Standard
Model is the so-called Higgs boson,which is responsi-
ble for generating the masses of all the other parti- 31
cles. Although predicted by the model, the Higgs bo-
son has not yet been experimentally detected.
However, such a particle must exist if the Standard
Model is to remain consistent with itself.
Despite its astonishing success, the Standard
Model must be viewed as physically incomplete. For
example, it has so far proved impossible to explain
the force of gravity within its framework. Although
the model offers a good approximation of what hap-
pens at energy levels and particle densities that are
relatively low, it must ultimately be replaced by a
better and more comprehensive description. The
Standard Model also contains a large number of
seemingly arbitrary natural constants, which it
cannot explain. The more comprehensive model re-
quired must not only solve this problem; it must also
describe the early stages of the universe and unify
the three as-yet independent kinds of forces and
force particles into just one primal force. Physicists
expect that supersymmetry will have an important
role to play in any solution.
32

The Dawn of Time

T
oday, it is generally accepted that life and the distinctive features of organisms on
earth can only be understood in terms of the evolution of species. Less known is the
fact that the properties of matter have also evolved over time.However,it is much eas-
ier for physicists to recreate the past than for their biologist colleagues. This is because en-
ergy can be converted into matter, and vice versa. As a consequence, as soon as particles of
matter are accelerated to a sufficiently high energy, they begin to behave just as they would
have done during the first moments of the hot universe. In other words,
The universe takes
their energy can be transformed into the same kind of particles as
shape:how matter is created
existed shortly after the big bang. In this respect,particle accelera-
out of energy
tors help physicists to simulate the way in which the universe has developed.
Research in this field has now reached a critical juncture. Everything that we already know
about the fundamental particles of matteras summarized in the Standard Modelsug-
gests that if we can attain particle energies just a little bit higher than those possible today,
something radically new will emerge.
Physics currently stands at a threshold beyond which the known laws of physics will no
longer hold and new ones must be found. For humanity, this is new terrain. Nature, however,
must have already passed through this stage on the way to its current state.What we are at-
tempting to describe is the initial phase of the universe, shortly after the big bang, when
everything was incredibly hot and dense. If we succeed in determining the natural laws that
define behavior in this realm, we will not only gain a clearer insight into the current state of
development,but also perhaps a deeper understanding of the cosmos as a whole.
 Energy in GeV
A Short History

Time in s
of the Universe
According to the current state of knowledge, the en-
1018
10-12 tire matter of the universe was created around 15 bil-
lion years ago in the big bang.The starting point was
the explosion of a minuscule volume of space-time
1012
10-9 (smaller than an atom) with an inconceivably high 33
Electromagnetic force

temperature and energy density. Altogether, the

whole process lasted less than a trillionth of a sec-
Weak force

106
10-6 ond. In the aftermath, matter dispersed at great
speed in all directions, cooling down as it went. One
result was a drop in the particlesenergies.
1 Initially,all the different types of elementary parti-
10-3
cles and their antiparticles were present in almost
equal proportions in a very hot and dense gas. How-
10-6 ever, most of the particles and their antiparticles an-
1
nihilated each other. Of the remaining particles, the
Strong force

heavier ones spontaneously decayed into lighter

10-12 particles. Soon, all that was left was radiation energy
Electroweak 103
unification plus electrons and two sorts of quark. After further
cooling, the quarks combined to form protons and
10-18 neutrons. Positively charged hydrogen and helium
106
nuclei appeared, which, in turn, captured negatively
Gravitation

charged electrons to form atoms.

10-24 The atoms gathered into clouds of hydrogen and
109
helium gas. Over the course of billions of years, parts
of these clouds condensed into stars, star clusters,
10-30
1012 galaxies and galaxy clusters.
The process is actually still in progress today. Even-
tually, hydrogen and helium in the stars fused into
10-36
1015 heavier elements. In the course of supernova explo-
Grand unification
sions, these were then ejected into interstellar space,
Planck scale where they formed further stars and planets. At least
-44
10 one of the latter has meanwhile become the home of
1019 living organisms.

Big bang

Journey to the origin of the universe:The

left-hand scale shows the age of the universe
(the time since the big bang in seconds).
Right:The average energy of the radiation and
matter particles in gigaelectronvolts.
 A Key to the Universe?
(Super)Symmetry
34
Holding the world together:The forces
(also known as interactions) are transferred
by means of exchange particles,which are
specific for each type of force:the photon
otherwise known as the quantum of light
mediates the electromagnetic force;the
gluons mediate the strong force,which af-
fects the quarks;the neutral Z particle and
the positive and negative W particles medi-
ate the weak force.The gravitational force is
mediated by the massless,and as yet unde-
tected, graviton.
Gluon
Carrier of the:
Strong force
Affects:
Quarks
Responsible for:
Holding together the
atomic nucleus
T
here is much to suggest that the key to understanding the way elemen-
tary particles and the forces of nature behave is to be found in the very
early phase of the universe. Compared to its current state, the universe
seems to have been simpler, more clearly organized and more democratic
back then.Physicists would say it was more symmetrical.Fewer seemingly ar-
bitrary assumptions and parameters are required to describe this early phase
of the universe. Instead, there was a greater consistency and uniformity, from
which the whole multiplicity of nature subsequently developed over the
course of time. It was Albert Einsteins great ambition to help trace all the
fundamental laws of nature back to an original, supreme symmetryan un-
derlying principle that explained everything. In fact, even before Einsteins day,
important steps toward such a unified theory had already been takenad-
vances that would later prove to be of immense practical use. Today, Einsteins
legacy lives on in the field of elementary particle research.The Standard Model
comprises all that is currently known about the properties and behavior of
particles and the forces of nature.
The Standard Model describes two different fundamental forces: the strong
and the electroweak interactions between elementary particles. The strong
force holds the atomic nucleus together and is therefore responsible for stabi-
lizing matter. The electroweak interaction causes the sun to shine, lights to
burn, and dominates behavior in the worlds of chemistry and biology. How-
ever, the force of gravity, which keeps our feet on the ground and the stars in
their orbits,cannot be explained in terms of the Standard Model.
Photon W and Z bosons Graviton
Particle of light
Electromagnetic force Weak force Gravitational force
Quarks and charged Quarks and leptons All particles
leptons
Chemistry, electricity and Radioactivity, Holding together
magnetism solar energy the earth, the Sun,
the solar system

Despite their dissimilarity, all three forces of nature
can be completely derived from a close set of math-
ematically related principles of symmetry.The prin-
ciple of symmetry discovered by Einstein for the
gravitational force corresponds to a symmetry of
space and time. It states that the laws of gravity are
the same for any observer moving arbitrarily in
space and time. The principles of symmetry that
correspond to the other two fundamental forces of
nature do not concern normal space and time. In-
stead, they are associated with a posited inner
space,which is related to the inner properties of the
particles. Such properties include the nonmechani-
cal, intrinsic angular momentum known as spin,
and electrical chargethe cause of electromag-
netic attraction or repulsion. As a consequence, if
there really is a single, unified principle of symme-
try and thereby a more fundamental relation be-
tween the three forces of nature, then space and
35
time, force and mass must be closely interwoven. In
fact, they must presuppose and determine one
another.
The theory of supersymmetry is one approach to
explaining how this could occur. Supersymmetry
not only encompasses both Einsteins space-time
symmetry and the inner symmetries; it also unifies
them. Whats more, it ac-
complishes this in such an
SUSYthe dream
of the grand unification
elegant and natural way that
physicists are inclined to see the theory as a deci-
sive key to the ultimate essence of matter and its
fundamental interactions.
Supersymmetry makes clear predictions that can
be experimentally verified or refuted. Realization of
the new generation of particle accelerator required
for such a task, however, represents an enormous
challenge. After all, such accelerators are among
the largest and most complex research facilities in
existence. One such accelerator is the ring-shaped
Large Hadron Collider,which is currently being built
as a joint European project in an already existing
tunnel at the CERN research center in Geneva,
Switzerland. The other is the linear accelerator that
will form the heart of the planned TESLA research
center.
 Supersymmetry
Supersymmetry is a property ascribed to nature so
that the three forces of nature (the strong, elec-
troweak and gravitational interactions) can be uni-
fied in a single primal force.It is therefore posited as
36 a fundamental property of nature. Supersymmetry
links the matter particles and force particleswhich
are strictly separated in the Standard Modelby
stating that all particles are simultaneously both
one and the other. It also links the symmetries of
space-time with the inner symmetries associated
with the particle familiesi.e. the intrinsic angular
momentum (spin) of the particles. For lower particle
energies, supersymmetry produces exactly the same
results as the Standard Model; unlike the latter, how-
ever, it can also yield a reasonable description of the
very high particle energies found in the earliest
phases of the universe.
If nature is indeed supersymmetrical, there must
be twice as many kinds of particle as was previously
assumed. This is because supersymmetry requires
that for each and every normal type of particle,
there is also a corresponding superpartner type.
Consequently, there must be a whole range of new
and unusual types of matter. The problem is that as
long as none of these superpartner particle types are
detected, supersymmetry will remain an unproved
hypothesis. However, with the help of a linear elec-
tron-positron accelerator running at sufficiently
high energies, it ought to be possible to generate and
identify at least some of these superpartner parti-
clesprovided,of course,the theory is correct.
Understandably, the scientific interest in a project
of this nature is great. Supersymmetry would not
only provide physics with a new fundamental princi-
ple of nature; it would also demonstrate that there
are new, unusual types of matter just waiting to be
discovered.
 The Particles of Supersymmetry

Superpartners of the Force Particles Force-Mediating Particles

Spin 3/2 Spin 1/2 Spin 1/2 Spin 0 Spin 1 Spin 2

particles particles particles particles particles particles
~ ~ H+ w+ 37
w+ H+ +1 +1

Wino Higgsino Higgs W+ particle

(?) (?) + 2/3 + 2/3 particle (81)
(?)
+ 1/3 + 1/3

Charge
~
G
~

~
g
~0
z
~
H0 0 0 H0 z0 g G

Gravitino Photino Gluino Zino Higgsino Higgs Z0 Gluon Photon Graviton

(?) (?) (?) (?) (?) - 1/3 - 1/3 particle particle (0) (0) (0)
(?) (91)

- 2/3 - 2/3

~ ~
w- H- -1 -1 H- w-

Wino Higgsino Higgs W- particle

(?) (?) particle (81)
(?)

Superpartners of the Matter Particles Matter Particles

Spin 0 particles Spin 1/2 particles

+1 +1

~ ~
c ~
u + 2/3 + 2/3 u c t
t Squarks Quarks
(?) (?) Up Charm
(?) (0.004) (1.5) Top
+ 1/3 + 1/3
(174)
Charge

~ ~ ~e Sleptons Leptons e
0 0
(?) (?) (?) Electron neutrino Muon neutrino Tau neutrino (~ 0)
(~ 0) (~ 0)
~ ~s ~ d s b
b d Squarks - 1/3 - 1/3 Quarks
(?) (?) Down Strange
(?) Bottom
(0.007) (0.15)
- 2/3 - 2/3 (4.7)

~
-
~
- ~
e- Sleptons -1 -1
Leptons e- - -
(?) (?) Electron
(?) Muon Tau
(0.0005) (0.1) (1.8)

SUSYthe theory of supersymmetry:If nature really is supersymmetrical,an appropriate superpartner should exist
for every normaltype of particle.To date,none of the exotically-named superpartners has been detected.
The TESLA facility will offer researchers an excellent chance of tracking down these new and unusual particles.The
figures in brackets are the particlesmasses expressed in gigaelectronvolts.
38

New Accelerators
New Forms of Matter?

I
n the Large Hadron Collider at the CERN research center in Geneva,atomic nuclei are accel-
erated to incredibly high speeds and then brought to collision. As a rule, the resulting colli-
sions give rise to the highest particle energies that are technically feasible today. Given
the complexity of nuclear structure, however, interpreting the results of such experiments is
complicated and generally obscured by a host of secondary phenomena. As a result, obtain-
ing the precise and quantitative measurements required to yield reliable conclu-
What happened
sions is very tricky. By contrast, this is precisely where the strength of the
after the big bang? linear accelerator lies.The virtue of conducting experimental work with
such an accelerator is that electrons and positrons which have been accelerated to very high
energies can be used as point-like precision toolsfor the experimental work. In the event of
a frontal collision between an electron and a positron, the particle and antiparticle can anni-
hilate each other. The result is a tiny fireball of extraordinarily concentrated, pure energy.
The energy density present is comparable with that which existed in the first billionth of a
second after the big bang.In a process similar to the birth of the universe,this energy sponta-
Left Head-on collision:When an electron
and a positron smash into each other
at maximum speed,they annihilate each
other in a burst of pure energy which
can give rise to new elementary particles.
neously gives rise to the different elementary parti-
cles. Assuming that supersymmetry governs the
physical world, the particles should be created in
accordance with its principles.Such experiments al-
low physicists to recreate and investigate the con-
ditions that must have prevailed at the birth of the
cosmos. Proceeding from this basis, it then be-
comes possible to trace the development that led
to the present state of matter, which consists of
electrons and two types of quark.
If the theory of supersymmetry is correct, there
must be a whole series of additional types of parti-
cles. In fact, the inventory of nature must be twice
as large as previously believed. According to our
present knowledge,all the particles were present in
the very early phases of the universenone was
preferred over any of the others. Some of the pre-
dicted particles might still exist, having remained
undiscovered until today. Such particles would con-
stitute a form of matter possessing properties com-
pletely different to those of the everyday matter
we are familiar with. They would not form atoms,
and thus would not make up organisms, planets
39
and stars.This type of matter would be invisible and
able to penetrate our bodies unnoticed. Astronomi-
cal observations already suggest that the universe
contains much more matter than the stars, planets
and cosmic clouds can account for. Supersymmetry
could thus provide an explanation for this addi-
tional,invisible,dark matter.
For supersymmetry to be valid, the highly ener-
getic fireballs generated in
With TESLA to the
an accelerator must sponta-
neously give rise to these new
birth of the universe
particles.Once created in this way, they would leave
clear traces in the accelerators detectors. If natures
inventory really is twice as large as previously as-
sumed, many different types of these new particles
must exist. Identifying and investigating them all
represents a fascinating, if complex, challenge,
which TESLA is ideally suited to handle. In fact, re-
cent theoretical studies show that the experimen-
tal conditions offered by such a facility are essential
if supersymmetry is to be quantitatively confirmed
or refuted. In the latter case, they will help us de-
velop an alternative theory.
Getting up to speed:Electromagnetic fields
accelerate the electrons in the super-
conducting linear accelerator to close to
the speed of light.
 X-Ray Lasers Offer
New Insight into the Multiplicity of Nature

T
he TESLA facility will provide us with fascinating insights into the origin and inner-
most architecture of the entire universe. Back here on earth,it would also open up the
40 possibility of exploring the world around us using the integrated X-ray lasers.
In the first 30 years of the 20th century, the theories of relativity and quantum mechanics es-
tablished the fundamental laws governing the way in which the world around us behaves.
Atoms,which consist of a nucleus enveloped by a cloud of electrons,determine the phenom-
enal forms that nature can adopt. In principle, the two theories describe how electrons be-
have in atoms, and how the latter combine to form molecules, gases, liquids and solid states
of matter.
But it is extraordinarily difficult to understand and calculate this behavior in detail. In fact,
performing such a feat is only possible in extremely simple cases. The incalculability of
atomic interplay is a consequence of the enormous number of atoms involvedeach of
which is only around a hundred-millionth of a centimeter in diameter. An arrangement of
many atoms gives rise to fundamentally new properties that cannot be inferred simply by
adding together the properties of individual atoms. As soon as atoms combine, the principle
thatthe whole is more than the sum of its partsalso comes into force.New collectivephe-
nomena such as melting,electrical and thermal conductivity,or even superconductivity sud-
denly arise. Unfortunately, the properties associated with these phenomena cannot be de-
duced from the behavior of individual atoms.

1 2
 41

To see something new, you must

make something newEven calculating a simple property of a materialits melting point, for exam-
G. C. Lichtenberg
pleis highly complex and has only proved possible in a few, very basic cases.
Factors like temperature and pressure make things even more complicated. So
1 Wilhelm Conrad Rntgen too does the fact that different substances are mixed to imbue materials with
discovered and gave desirable properties,such as low weight,hardness,resistance to high tempera-
X-rays their name in 1895. tures,transparency,low electrical resistance or a low-abrasion surface.
In 1901,he was honored Take a simple process such as friction. What actually happens here at the
for his discovery with the atomic level? As is so often the case, new experiments make it necessary to re-
award of the first Nobel think the known theory.The phenomenon of superconductivity,which was dis-
prize for Physics. covered in 1911 and theoretically explained in 1957, is a prime example. Super-
conductivity seemed under control until the discovery of high-temperature
2 Hand of history: superconductors forced physicists back to the drawing-board:the existing the-
One of the first radio- ory did not predict the loss of electrical resistance at such high temperatures.
graphs made by Rntgen. Experience shows that new experiments are required in order to describe
The image,from Novem- known phenomena more exactly and discover new ones. Proceeding upon this
ber 1895,shows his wife basis will help us secure a long-term answer to a crucial question: How can we
Berthas hand. use the worlds resources in the most appropriate manner?
Discovered over 100 years ago, X-rays enable us to penetrate the secrets of
3 Building the X-ray laser: matter and molecular structure. This is because the wavelengths of X-rays ap-
The structure being as- proximate to the distance between atoms in solid bodies. In fact, the use of
sembled is an undula- X-rays has produced many a breakthrough in the natural sciences in the 20th
toran arrangement century. And this powerful tool continues to play a key role in research and
consisting of many mag- medical and industrial applications. Over the last 20 years, the intense X-rays
nets.The undulator will produced by particle accelerators in the form of synchrotron radiation have ad-
be used to produce laser- vanced research substantially. By the same token, development of a free elec-
like X-ray radiation. tron laser would open up a completely new dimension in our understanding.
Using the extremely short and intense beams of X-ray light such a laser gener-
ates,it would even be possible to filmatomic processes.
 From the Atom to the Solid Body
42 To properly understand the manifest characteristics of the world around us, it
is necessary to investigate how electrons are spatially organized in atomic
structure, and how the atoms themselves combine with one another to form
structures ranging from small, inorganic compounds to complex biomole-
cules. For instance, atoms and electrons in tiny particlesso-called clusters
behave in a completely different manner to those contained in liquid or solid
substances. As an atomic cluster increases in size, for example, it can quite
drastically alter its electrical properties and change from an insulator to a
conductor.
Chemical reactions between solids generally commence at the surfaces of
the substances involved. As a result, the way in which the reaction unfolds
must have a direct relation to the arrangement of the atoms in the outermost
layer of the substances. The problem is that it is not always possible to use
quantum mechanics to directly calculate the physical and chemical properties
in question. In such cases, the only way of advancing our knowledge is by
means of experiments. Its a situation tailor-made for the X-ray laser. Using
such a penetrative tool, it would be possible to study in detail the properties of
tiny clusters and reactions in extremely thin layers.

The Different States of Matter

Ice is not simply ice. In fact, water in its solid state can exist in more than 10 dif-
ferent phases.When a lake freezes over in winter,for example,a hard, transpar-
ent layer forms on the surface of the water. Snow, on the other hand,
Why ice is not
settles on the ground as a soft, white layer of quite different crystal
simply ice
forms.These examples show that even solids made up of just one type of
atom or molecule can show major differences in their internal order. Such dif-
ferences are even greater in the case of substances made up of various mole-
cules joined together. In addition, quite different phases can form according to
the temperature and pressure conditions. Both temperature and pressure are
extremely high at the center of the earth and other planets. What phases of
matter exist there? The answer to such a question can only be found with the
help of appropriate experiments. Once again, the X-ray laser is an ideal re-
search tool for such an investigation. Unlike conventional X-ray sources, it gen-
erates radiation of an intensity high enough to record a complete image in a
very short space of time, thereby making it possible to investigate the struc-
ture of matter under extremely high pressure.
43
 How Living Nature Organizes Itself
The large molecular structures that play a key role in animate nature didnt
44 come into being until long after the emergence of inanimate forms of matter.
Hundreds of thousands of atoms had to take their place in such a macromole-
cule and learnhow genetic information in the form of DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) could be encoded and passed on. A decisive step towards understanding
the secrets of biological matter was the determination of the atomic
An X-ray eye on the
structure of the DNA molecule. This was achieved almost 40 years
innermost secrets of
ago using X-rays and the technique of X-ray diffraction, which
inheritance made it possible to decode the atomic structure of biomolecules such
as proteins and nucleic acids right up to the level of cells and cell assemblages.
Without knowledge of the structure of such entities it is impossible to under-
stand how they function.

and Biological Processes Work

In recent decades, biological research has become increasingly successful in its
quest to develop models for many processes in nature. For instance,we already
have a pretty accurate understanding of the molecular processes that occur
when a muscle works.We have also managed to determine the structure of the
chlorophyll molecule, which plays a major role in plant photosynthesis. Our
knowledge of the molecule extends all the way to the site where oxygenso
vital for life on our planetis released. However, up to now, we have not man-
aged to devise a theory capable of describing the self-organizing essence of an-
imate nature. All the theories tried so far have failed due to the extremely high
number of molecules involved. The fact that many of these processes do not
occur in equilibrium makes it all the more difficult to determine the way they
function. In fact, to solve this problem,we may need to adopt a new theoretical
approach not exclusively based on quantum mechanics.
The TESLA X-ray laser would create fascinating new experimental opportuni-
ties for researching biological processes at the molecular level.With the help of
the X-ray laser, for example, it would be possible to produce images at ex-
tremely high time resolution of the way in which biomolecules or large mole-
cule complexes move.
 45

1 Design for life:A model of

deoxyribonucleic acid
1
the carrier of hereditary
2
information.

2 Tangled protein:
Using synchrotron radia-
tion and X-ray diffraction,
scientists have been able
to determine the internal
structure of proteasome.
The latter functions as a
kind of garbage disposal
facilityin living cells.
 Ensures Grip and
Wears Out Enginesthe Daily
46
Friction at the atomic level:
Various models explaining
stick-slip friction.This
phenomenon arises when
a sliding film alternately
melts (due to shear force)
and freezes.A better under-
standing of the sliding
phase [c] and how to pre-
vent freezing [d] could help
reduce frictional losses.
Contact with Friction
When driving across slick ice, one longs for frictionthe resistance to sliding.
Friction is also desired while braking. But it is not welcome when the wheels are
rolling or the engine is supposed to run at full throttle. Although we experience it
daily, friction is not completely understood at the atomic level. Remedying this
shortcoming could bring substantial benefits. In fact, it is estimated that the in-
dustrialized countries could achieve savings equivalent to more than one percent
of their GNPs if we had a better understanding ofand thus were better at pre-
ventingfrictional and wearing processes.
Thin sliding films, for example, which are used to reduce the wear of materials,
experience so-called stick-slip friction.The alternation of stickingand slipping
is probably caused by the film freezing and melting in turn. Such phase transi-
tions can be examined in detail using X-rays. But these films are extremely thin.
In addition, technologically interesting materials such as metals and ceramics
are flat only on the scale of a few hundred atoms, and thus the volumes to be in-
vestigated are extremely small.The problem is that the X-ray equipment used to-
day cannot see such small structures. An X-ray laser, however, can in principle
be focused on a spot of the same order of magnitude as the X-ray wavelength
i.e. on an area of atomic dimensions. As a result,experiments can make use of the
entire power delivered by the instrument. The lasers extremely short pulses al-
low measurements to be taken at intervals so brief that the dynamics of stick-slip
friction can also be studied. Such studies form the basis for the development of
new materials that reduce the consumption of materials and energy.
Force
(a) At rest (b) Adhesion (c) Sliding
(entire film melts)
Glide
planes
(c) Sliding (c) Sliding (d) Freezing
(a layer melts) (boundary layer)
 When Diamonds Turn MetallicOr
How Anything Goes under Pressure
The temperature in the earths interior is several thousand degrees Celsiusan
infernal temperature. Moreover, the pressure there is more than a million times
greater than the air pressure we experience daily. Phenomena like volcanic erup- 47
tions and earthquakes give us an impression of the extreme conditions that
reign in the inaccessible depths of the earth. But what does matter look like un-
der such conditions? What is the state of the iron at the core of the earth? And
how about the elements that form the interior regions of other planets, which
are also under extreme pressure?
To study the structure of materials under extremely high pressure, scientists
Scratching the surface: subject them to a shock in the laboratory. Specifically, they use powerful lasers
Even the deepest test bores to produce shock waves that briefly compress samples with a pressure of several
can only be used to investi- million atmospheres. Using this method, it was possible to show that hydrogen
gate the upper regions of becomes metallic under extremely high pressurei.e., it conducts electricity. Di-
the earths crust.To simu- amonds also develop metallic properties when subjected to shock waves.
late the pressures at the Analyzing the structure of such high-pressure phases is very difficult because a
earths core,scientists re- shock wave compresses the sample material for only an unimaginably brief
sort to a type of shock wave time.Less than a billionth of a second is available to record a complete diffraction
treatment. patterntoo short a time for experiments using traditional X-ray equipment.
However, thanks to its unique intensity, the new X-ray laser is capable of record-
ing a complete pattern that can be used to study materials in shock.

1bar = 1,000hPa

1kbar = 100MPa
400 kbar
10 km

20 km
Upper mantle 10kbar = GPa
2,000C
30 km

1,000 km 1.4 Mbar

Lower mantle
3,000C
Pressure

2,900 km 3 Mbar

Fluid core
Depth

5,080 km

6,371 km Solid core

 Muscles May Move Everything, But
How Does a Muscle Move?
48
Actin filament
Myosin head
Lever arm
Muscle molecules:
The myosin head with its lever
arm attaches itself to the
actin filament.The arm swings
round within milliseconds
(above:the lever arm before
its stroke,below:after the
stroke).As the lever arm is per-
manently attached to the
myosin filament,the swing-
ing movement causes the
two filaments to slide along-
side one another and the
muscle to contract.
Nothing moves without muscles. Walking, climbing stairs, sitting
downwithout leg muscles these activities would be unthink-
able. Picking up a sandwich and putting it in our mouths would
also be impossible without muscular power, as would swallowing
a bite of it. Whether it be breathing in or out, laughing or crying
nothing functions without the aid of the innumerable cords of
muscle running through our bodies.
When a muscle moves, chemical energy is transformed into me-
chanical work. The functional principle at the molecular level is as
follows: bundles made up of two sorts of interlocking protein
strandsthe thick myosin and the thin actin filamentsglide
into one another to produce muscular movement.
Synchrotron radiation is an excellent tool for analyzing the exact
sequence of events in these processes. This is because its intense
X-ray light can be used to study the tightly bundled protein struc-
tures in the muscle fibers with atomic precision. In fact, researchers
actually began successfully analyzing muscle contraction using
X-rays in the early 1970s. And things have developed in the mean-
time. At present, about 650 scientists are working on the structural
analysis of biological molecules at DESY. Both the European Molec-
ular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the Max Planck Society (MPG)
have set up research outstations in Hamburg.
Thanks to X-ray analysis, we now have an exact understanding
of the mechanism that enables humans and animals to move.The
actual engine of muscular movement is the head of the myosin
molecule, which is linked to the actin. At the end of this head is a
lever arm that swings in a fraction of a second when chemical en-
ergy is consumed. This swinging motion causes the actin and
myosin filaments to slide into one another,thereby contracting the
muscle.
The extremely brief and intense flashes of light produced by the
new X-ray laser could make it possible to create instantaneous
records of such molecular movements at a higher time resolu-
tioni.e. at shorter intervalsthan was previously possible. As a
result,it would become possible to filmmolecular processes.
Freight Transport in Cells Dendrites
Molecular Motors Run on
Chemical Energy
Motor proteins glide through living cells on long pro-
tein structures (microtubules) and carry cargo just Cell body
like locomotives on tracks. Nutrients and messenger 49
materials, for example, are packed and conveyed in
small bubbles (vesicles). Nerve cells are especially de-
Axon
pendent on such freight trains. The extensions of
such cells, the nerve fibers, can be as long as a meter.
And they have to be supplied with everything they Lines of communication:
need right up to their very ends. A nerve cell consists of a cell
Nerves are responsible for communication in the body,a long nerve fiber
body. They transmit signals from the brain to the (axon) and a synapse.
muscles, for example. Rapid electrical pulses ensure Tree-structured receivers
that the stimulus in the nerve fibers is passed on- (dendrites) carry the
ward. The motor proteins, on the other hand, are re- stimulus into the cell.It is
sponsible for transporting substances in the nerves. then passed along the axon
Scientists belonging to the Max Planck workgroup to the synapse,where it
for structural molecular biology in Hamburg not causes the release of neuro-
only succeeded in crystallizing one such protein transmitter chemicals
(kinesin) in its functional state; they were also able to which stimulate muscular
determine its structure using synchrotron radiation movement.
to perform X-ray analyses. Kinesin is able to move
along its tracksthe microtubulesthanks to Below A molecular motor:
two molecules that each have a head and a tail The kinesin uses its
and together form a functional unit.The kinesin uses two heads to move itself
the two molecular heads to move itself hand- Synapses hand-over-handalong
over-hand along the microtubule. The driving force Muscle the microtubule.
behind this movement is provided by chemical en-
ergy that is transformed into directed motion. How-
ever, this process involves considerable changes in
molecular structure that have not yet been studied
closely. The planned X-ray laser could open up new
prospects here too.By enabling us to study the move-
ments of large molecular complexes at a high time
resolution, it will help us better understand how a
molecular motor of this kind actually runs.
50
 Synchrotron Radiation
X-ray radiation:
a probe for investigating
atoms
Very special light:
Synchrotron radiation has
opened up many exciting
new research possibilities.
The photograph shows a re-
searcher in action at DESYs
HASYLAB Synchrotron Radi-
ation Laboratory.This ex-
perimental station is used
for the spectroscopic analy-
sis of the surfaces of semi-
conductors and high-tem-
perature superconductors .
A Twenty-Five-Year Success Story
with a Promising Future
T
he most important sense organ we use to perceive our environment is 51
the eye. It allows us to see a part of the electromagnetic spectrum that
contains all of the colors of the rainbowvisible light. Besides this type
of light, the electromagnetic spectrum contains radio waves, thermal or in-
frared radiation and X-ray radiation. In the natural sciences, the whole spec-
trum of radiationfrom radio frequencies to hard X-rays and gamma raysis
used as an extension of the human eye to investigate nature. The wavelength
of the light used determines the spatial dimensions of the smallest objects
we can examine with that particular radiation. To study atoms, for example,
scientists need X-rays with a wavelength of about one hun-
dred-millionth of a centimeter. These waves provide
us with an ideal probe with which we can determine
the distribution of electrons, nuclei, the structures they form and the
dynamics of those structures. Using X-rays, it proved possible to confirm Dem-
ocritus theory, according to which nature consists of atoms, some 2,000 years
after the Greek philosopher first postulated it. It was a breakthrough that gave
birth to our modern world view as defined by physics,chemistry and biology.
In retrospect,it is remarkable that no fundamental progress was made in the
technical development of sources of X-ray radiation from the time of their dis-
covery in 1895 until the 1970s. In fact, it was only with the discovery of synchro-
tron radiation at particle accelerators that a fundamentally new area of re-
search opened up. During the last 25 yearsfollowing the development of
technology for accelerating particle beams in storage ringsthings have
progressed rapidly. In the meantime, scientists have managed to increase the
intensity of X-ray radiation by a factor of more than one billion.
52

1
2

1 Light of today:

TESLA, Free Electron Laser The visible component of

1034
the synchrotron radiation
photographed in HASYLAB
1030 at DESY.
Synchrotron radiation
sources of the: 2 Light for tomorrow:
The development of X-ray
1026
radiation sources demon-
Peak brilliance

ESRF 2nd improvement strates how dramatically

3rd generation ESRF 1st improvement
the brilliance has increased
1022
ESRF design values
since the discovery that par-
ticle accelerators can pro-

1018 duce synchrotron radiation.

2nd generation
The development of an
1st generation
X-ray laser at DESY in Ham-
1014 burg continues this up-
X-ray tubes
wards trend and opens up
previously undreamed-of
1010
possibilities for research.
(ESRF:European Synchro-

106 tron Radiation Facility in

1900 1950 2000 Grenoble)

Years
Scientists at DESY began creating applications
based on synchrotron radiation in the late 1960s.
The development of storage rings such as the
DORIS ring, which were capable of ensuring con-
stant beam conditions, paved the way for system-
atic application. The next advance was made
around 1980 with the installation of special mag-
nets called wigglers and undulators. This led to microscope allowed access to dimensions below
the development and construction of storage rings
that were specially designed to accommodate wig-
glers and undulatorsin other words, rings built
exclusively for use as sources of synchrotron radia-
tion. Europe played a leading role in the develop-
ment process, which reached its climax with the
construction of the ESRF (European Synchrotron
Radiation Facility) in Grenoble, France. The perfor-
mance values attained during the operation of
these machines have in most cases well surpassed
those planned. This is impressive evidence of how
powerful and reliable accelerator technology now
is.
It is therefore not surprising that more than
10,000 scientists in Europe use synchrotron radia-
tion for research projects in physics, chemistry, ma-
terials science, geosciences, biology and medicine.
Worldwide, more than 50 accelerators are now be-
ing used as sources of synchrotron radiation. This
shared research platform has already led to many
interdisciplinary projects in which the same physi-
cal measuring techniques, for example, have been
successfully applied in both biology and chemistry.
This work is highly conducive to the development
of the important border areas between the classi-
cal fields of research.
It was synchrotron radiation that opened up a
window on the states of electrons in solid bodies
and at surfaces.The structure of the tiny particles in
catalysts was also determined using synchrotron
radiation. The molecular processes that occur dur-
ing the movement of muscles were demonstrated
as well. Synchrotron radiation likewise became in-
dispensable when it came to determining the 53
structure of biological macromolecules. The X-ray
those accessible using visible light,and X-ray holog-
raphy finally even made atomic structures visible.
Many new ordered states of solid bodies were dis-
covered by subjecting them to varying tempera-
tures or pressures, by changing their composition,
or by investigating two-dimensional layers.
The exceptional increase achieved in the bright-
ness of synchrotron radiation sources in recent
years by no means signifies
The superlight from
an end to the possibilities.
particle accelerators
The great breakthrough in the
visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum was
achieved in the 1960s with the introduction of the
laser principle.Today,the laser is a basic commodity,
a medical and technical tool, and a research instru-
ment. But as is often the case with new discoveries,
its immense utility was not recognized initially, not
even by the inventors themselves:The laser is a so-
lution in search of a problem, said Arthur
Schawlow,one of its inventors.
X-ray lasers have yet to be developed to the point
where they can be used in research.But their poten-
tial value is obvious. Numerous scientific and tech-
nical problems are driving the development of an
X-ray laser. To solve those problems, scientists need
an X-ray source that not only produces pulses at
short intervals, but also generates pulses with an
extremely high degree of brilliance.
 The Third Dimension:
Spatial Images of Atoms
Today, everyone is familiar with optical holograms.
They offer protection against counterfeit bank cards
or paper money. One of the popular images found on
plastic money is that of Ludwig van Beethoven,
54 whose serious features appear in three-dimensional
form when one of these cards is turned back and
forth.The spatial information for these holograms is
usually recorded with laser light. This is accom-
plished by splitting the laser beam into two parts.
One beam illuminates the object, while the other
beam is projected directly onto the hologram
plate. The two beams are superimposed on the
plate, where the waves of laser light create minute
interference patterns that form the frozen holo-
gram. When the hologram is illuminated, a three-
dimensional picture of the object appears in space.
To portray atomic structures in three dimensions,
scientists use X-ray light that is scattered by the
atoms in a crystal. Using X-ray holography, scientists
from DESYs HASYLAB were able to gain detailed in-
sights into the three-dimensional structure of crys-
tals. Sophisticated measuring techniques and math-
ematical procedures allow the positions of the
various atoms in a crystal to be directly determined.
It therefore becomes possible to see which atom is
in front and which is at the rear. In other words, a 3D
picture with atomic resolution has been created.
The expectations scientists have of the new TESLA
X-ray laser were one important reason for pushing
forward with the development of X-ray holography Hologram with atomic
at HASYLAB. The TESLA X-ray laser will make it possi- resolution:This exposure of
ble to create holographic filmsof atomic events. an iron crystal was made
using direct X-ray hologra-
phy techniques.
 55

Reconstruction of the crystal structure:

Using a hologram and a complex mathe-
matical process,it is possible to determine
the positions of the individual iron atoms.
One particular atom is used to form the pic-
ture of its surroundings.In this case,they
comprise a further 34 iron atoms,eight of
which are located nearby (yellow).The
other 26 are further away (gray).The central
iron atom does notseeitself and so does
not appear in the reconstruction.
 The X-Ray Laser
Light for a New Century

T
here have been many unsuccessful attempts to build an X-ray laser. But
developments in the area of linear accelerators and the sources for syn-
56 chrotron radiation now offer a direct way of achieving this goal. So-
called free electron lasers, which are driven by linear accelerators, should be
able to create X-ray radiation with genuine laser properties. To function as an
efficient research instrument,a source of this kind must be similar to an optical
laser in its ability to achieve stable intensities in short pulses that can be re-
peated extremely rapidly. This is exactly what seems possible using the SASE
principle, the self-amplified spontaneous emission of synchrotron radiation.
Physicists are already familiar with an analogous process in the realm of visible
light. But the technical implementation of this process is different in the case
of X-rays. The latter requires concentrated bunches of free electrons arranged
with constant spacing in the direction of their movement. Such bunches are
then capable of emitting laser radiation as units.
The design of the TESLA linear accelerator at DESY now offers the best chance
worldwide of realizing an X-ray laser. In recent years, the technical feasibility
and scientific potential of this approach have been investigated in many scien-
tific and technical studies and working groups organized at the international
level. The proposed free electron laser will produce X-rays that have wave-
lengths as small as one-tenth of a nanometeratomic dimensions. It will pro-
duce a rapid succession of flashes,each with a duration of 100 femtoseconds
the time scale on which electronic excitation of molecules occurs (femto is the
scientific designation for one quadrillionth).Due to the inconceivably short du-
ration of these flashes, the X-ray laser can filmchemical reactions with an ex-
tremely high time resolution. In addition, the beam of such a laser retains a di-
ameter of just one millimeter at a distance of one kilometer.In other words,it is
extremely sharply focused.
The use of this new type of radiation will significantly advance our efforts to
truly understand the matter around us and the biological processes occurring
in organisms.This additional knowledge can lead to improvements in existing
applications and the development of new ones. Everything from the materials
sciences to biotechnology and medicine stands to benefit as a result.
Electron source
and accelerator

Magnetic structure

Electron trap

57

Light beam

Experiment
Above The principle of the X-ray laser:
Tiny bunches of electrons are accelerated to close to the
speed of light in the superconducting linear accelerator.
They then fly through a magnetic structurethe undula-
torwhich causes them to follow a zig-zag path.As a result
of their motion,the electrons emit a flash of X-ray radia-
tion.This burst of radiation rapidly catches up with the
electrons up ahead,causing some of them to accelerate and
others to slow down.As a consequence,the already tiny
Electron beam
bunches are further compressed and thus emit even more X-ray radiation
intense radiation as they continue on their zig-zag path. Magnetic structures
This in turn has an even greater effect on electrons up
ahead.The self-amplifying effect repeats until all the elec-
Storage ring
trons oscillate in sync.The X-ray radiation emitted adds
up to extremely intense laser pulses which can be used for a
wide range of experimental purposes.

Right Bright sources of X-ray light:

Wiggler
Synchrotron radiation is produced when particles are ac-
celerated in a storage ring. Wigglers and undulators lin-
ear magnetic structuresare used to improve the proper-
ties of the radiation produced.Direct descendants of the
bending magnets in a storage ring,wigglers and undula-
tors force the particles to travel along a zig-zag path so that Undulator
the emitted light waves are superimposed.These magnetic
structures are now used to produce synchrotron radiation
in laboratories worldwide.In the future,extremely intense
X-ray radiation with laser-like properties will be generated
in the free electron laser.
Free electron laser
 Glossary
Accelerators: Facilities in which electrically charged Detector: In particle physics, this refers to a com-
particles (e.g. electrons, protons or their antiparti- plex instrument built from numerous different in-
cles) are accelerated to high energies in electric dividual components. It detects elementary parti-
fields. Accelerators are used in physics to investi- cles and their reactions by recording their tracks
gate elementary particles and their interactions. and measuring their energy.
58 They also serve as sources of intense electromag-
netic radiation. Dimensions:
10-15 f (femto) 1 thousand million millionth
Antimatter: Matter composed of atoms which are 10-12 p (pico) 1 million millionth
themselves made up of antiparticles. 10-9 n (nano) 1 billionth
10-6 (micro) 1 millionth
Antiparticles: Every type of elementary particle has 10-3 m (milli) 1 thousandth
a corresponding antiparticle. Should a particle en- 1
counter its antiparticle they annihilate each other 103 k (kilo) thousand
in a burst of pure energy. Antiparticles have the 106 M (mega) million
same mass and belong to the same group as their 109 G (giga) billion
partners. They differ in only a few properties, such 1012 T (tera) million million
as in the sign of their charge. 1015 P (peta) thousand million million

Bosons (exchange particles): In the Standard
Model, these are special particles which mediate
the interactions between particles. The gluons, the
photon and the W and Z bosons act as exchange
particles.
Brilliance: Quantity for describing the quality of
a synchrotron radiation source. The brilliance is a
measure of the concentration of the radiated
photons.
DORIS: Name of a storage ring (originally Double-
Ring Store) in operation at DESY. Since 1993, DORIS
has been operated exclusively as a source of syn-
chrotron radiation.
Electron: Stable, negatively charged elementary
particle belonging to the lepton group. Along with
protons and neutrons, one of the fundamental
particles of the atom. Also the carrier of electric
current.

CERN: Abbreviation for the European Laboratory for
Particle Physics in Geneva (originally known as the
Conseil Europen pour la Recherche Nuclaire).
DESY: Abbreviation of Deutsches Elektronen-Syn-
chrotron (German Electron Synchrotron), one of the
16 HGF research institutes in Germany. Also the
name of the centers first electron ring accelerator.
Elementary particle: Smallest unit of matter cre-
ated in the big bang. Most of this matter decayed or
was transformed within fractions of a second after
the creation of the universe. Of the few stable types
of particle to survive the birth of the universe, two
quarks and the electron became the building-
blocks of all atoms.
EMBL: Abbreviation of European Molecular Biology
Laboratory, which runs an outstation at DESY with
experimental stations in HASYLAB.
ESRF: Abbreviation for the European Synchrotron
Radiation Facility,which is situated in Grenoble.
Free Electron Laser (FEL): Special light source in
which an electron beam from a particle accelerator
is led through an undulatora special arrangement
of magnets. The light produced is characterized by
extremely short pulses of laser-like radiation.
Gluons: The exchange particles associated with the
strong interaction.The eight different types of gluon
transfer the force between quarks. They are electri-
cally neutral and possess no mass. The gluons were
directly observed for the first time at DESY in 1979.
HASYLAB: Abbreviation for Hamburg Synchrotron
Radiation Laboratory. This is a DESY installation in
which synchrotron radiation experiments are pre-
pared,carried out and coordinated.
HERA: Abbreviation for Hadron-Electron Ring Ac-
celerator. HERA is a storage ring facility at which
particle research is currently carried out at DESY.
HERA is the only accelerator facility worldwide in
which protons and electrons can be brought to col-
lision at high energies. It can be considered as a su-
per electron microscopefor studying the proton. In
addition, both the polarized electrons and the pro-
ton beam are used for experiments.
Higgs boson: A hypothetical particle named after
the physicist Peter Higgs and predicted in the Stan-
dard Model. According to this theory, the mass of
every particle results from the influence of the field
associated with the Higgs particle. This field is all-
pervasivepresent even in absolute vacuum.
Leptons: One of the two groups of matter particles,
the other being the quarks. There are three pairs of
leptons, each pair consisting of an electrically
charged particle and a neutrino. The best-known
pair is the electron and the electron neutrino. The
others are the muon with the muon neutrino and 59
the tau with the tau neutrino.
LHC: Abbreviation for the Large Hadron Collider.
Planned collider for protons and atomic nuclei be-
ing built in an existing tunnel at CERN (Geneva).
Linear accelerator: Long tube under vacuum in
which electrically charged particles are bundled
and accelerated under the influence of magnetic
and electric fields.
Matter: The matter of our earth consists funda-
mentally of protons, electrons and neutrons, which
together make up all existing atoms.
MPG: Abbreviation for Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.
The society has established three workgroups at
DESY, which use synchrotron radiation to deter-
mine the structures of biomolecules.
Neutron: Uncharged particle composed of three
quarks. Together with the proton, one of the ele-
ments of the atomic nucleus.
Photon (or quantum of light): Smallest unit of light
and simultaneously the exchange particle of the
electromagnetic interaction. The photon possesses
zero mass and is electrically neutral.
Positron: Antiparticle of the electron.
Proton: Positively charged particle composed of
three quarks. Forms the atomic nuclei, together
with the neutron.
 Quarks: Together with the leptons, the building
blocks of matter. There are three pairs of quarks.
These are the up and the down quarks, the charm
and the strange quarks,and the top and the bottom
quarks. Quarks can appear as pairs (quark and anti-
60 quark) or as three-way combinations of quarks
alone,or antiquarks alone.
Resonator: Important component of accelerators.
Resonators are metallic hollow bodies, in which os-
cillating electromagnetic fields accelerate the par-
ticles. Normally conducting resonators are made
from copper, and superconducting resonatorsas
used in TESLAfrom niobium.
SASE: Abbreviation of Self-Amplified Spontaneous
Emission, a process which enables coherent beams
to be created in a free electron laser even without
highly reflecting mirrors.
Spin: Intrinsic angular momentum of elementary
particles, whichgraphically speakingrotate
around their axes like tiny gyroscopes. The spin can
only take on certain (quantized) values.
Standard Model: Theory which accurately de-
scribes almost all the processes known to occur in
particle physics.(See box on page 30.)
Storage ring: Facility in which particles accelerated
to a high energy circulate for several hours. Storage
rings are used in particle physics and in synchrotron
radiation experiments.
Strong interaction: One of the fundamental forces,
it holds quarks together and is mediated by the
gluons.
Superconductivity: The ability of certain metals to
conduct an electric current without energy losses
at extremely low temperatures. Superconducting
resonators, which work at temperatures close to
absolute zero,will be used in the TESLA facility.
Supersymmetry: Suspected to be one of the funda-
mental symmetries of nature. According to super-
symmetry, every particle has a supersymmetrical
partner. As yet, none of these shadow particles
have been detected.There is therefore no proof that
the theory of supersymmetry is valid. (See box on
page 36).
Synchrotron radiation: Intense, collimated, ex-
tremely broadband electromagnetic radiation
emitted by electrons or positrons travelling
through the bending magnets of ring accelerators
or through wigglers/undulators.
TESLA: Abbreviation for the TeV-Energy Supercon-
ducting Linear Accelerator. Designed as an elec-
tron-positron collider which also functions as the
driver for X-ray lasers, TESLA is being planned and
developed at DESY by an international collabora-
tion.It could be completed by 2010.
Undulators and wigglers: Special magnetic struc-
tures in ring accelerators for producing synchrotron
radiation at a much higher intensity than that pro-
duced in the bending magnets.
W boson: Charged exchange particle of the weak
interaction.
Weak interaction: One of the fundamental forces,
it is responsible for nuclear fusion in stars and the
decay of atomic nuclei.It is mediated by the W and Z
bosons.
Z boson: Neutral exchange particle of the weak
interaction.
Masthead
Publisher:
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron
Notkestrae 85
D 22607 Hamburg,Germany

Tel.:++49-40/8998-0,Fax:++49-40/8998-3282
E-Mail:desyinfo@desy.de
Internet:http://www.desy.de

Text:
Gerhard Materlik,Paul Sding,Ute Wilhelmsen,DESY

Realization and editing:

Ute Wilhelmsen,DESY

Graphics:
Bohm und Nonnen,Bro fr Gestaltung GmbH,Darmstadt
DESY
EMBL,Heidelberg
MPG,Hamburg
Thomas Plettau,Option Z,Frankfurt (Main)
Webdoc,Friedrich & Vo,Hamburg
WiTec-PR,Dr.Ritschel & Partner,Karlsruhe

Photographs:
BAH,List
Bildarchive
DESY
Deutsches Rntgen-Museum,Remscheid
Peter Ginter,Lohmar
Manfred Schulze-Alex,Hamburg
Heike Thum-Schmielau,Hamburg

Page 32:Illustration by kind permission of James Gitlin,STScI

Design:
Bohm und Nonnen,Bro fr Gestaltung GmbH,Darmstadt

Translation:
TransForm GmbH,Cologne

Printing:
Dierk Heigener GmbH,Hamburg
January 2000