Konstantin Sukharnikov Scientific instrumentation

A hobby. An independent overview compiled from public sources by a science and space enthusiast. I am not involved in these missions or facilities; my own work is detector electronics at European XFEL. My projects →

Facility · Synchrotrons

Advanced Light Source (ALS-U)

Soft X-ray storage ring, to become ALS-U (multi-bend achromat, 100 times brighter soft X-rays, 500 mA)

Status
Operating
Location
Berkeley (California), USA
Operator
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (DOE)
Next
Oct 2027 not before: ALS-U "dark time" begins (about 22 months)

Summary

A soft X-ray synchrotron in Berkeley. ALS-U replaces the ring with a multi-bend achromat: soft X-ray brightness at least 100 times higher, with a target current of 500 mA (ALS-U overview, ALS-U timeline).

Now as of 9 Nov 2026

On 1 July 2026 the US Department of Energy approved a revised cost and schedule, with completion by the end of 2029 (ALS-U updates). The dark time starts no earlier than October 2027 and lasts about 22 months (operating schedule, updated 4 August 2026). Sources differ: the timeline page (updated 23 September 2026) says "at least two years". There will be no long shutdown in summer 2027: cycle 2027-2 (July–December) has at least three months of beam. After the dark time there will be no general user shifts (collaborative access may be possible), and reaching stable operation could take about another year (timeline). The dates have already slipped twice: the start of the dark time moved from 1 October 2025 to 22 June 2026, and then to the present date (ALS-U updates).

Key dates

  1. 1 Jul 2026DOE approves the revised schedule and costdone
  2. Jul–Dec 2027Cycle 2027-2: at least three months of beamplanned
  3. Oct 2027Dark time begins (not earlier)planned
  4. 2029 (end)ALS-U project completedplanned

Timeline

  1. 1 Jul 2026Revised ALS-U schedule approved — ALS
  2. 8 Jun 2026Dark time no earlier than October 2027 (about 22 months) — ALS