High energy photon source (HEPS)

2024: Commissioning

In mid-May 2024, it became known that the country's largest synchrotron, intended for biomedical research, was being commissioned in China. The High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) is located in the Huayzhou area near Beijing.

The cost of the HEPS project is estimated at 4.8 billion yuan (about $676.7 million at the exchange rate as of May 22, 2024). The complex emits X-rays a trillion times brighter than the sun. In terms of power, HEPS is more than 10 thousand times higher than the third generation synchrotrons existing in China, such as the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Center. Thus, China was among the few countries in the world that have fourth-generation synchrotron radiation sources.

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HEPS is a ring-shaped installation with a circumference of approximately 1.36 km. The system is capable of accelerating electrons to an energy of 6 gigaelectronvolts. The plant is planned to be used in various fields, including biomedicine, power, modern materials and condensed matter physics. For example, a synchrotron will allow detailed analysis of the atomic structure of proteins without the need for preliminary crystallization. In addition, the complex will allow researchers to quickly conduct experiments that would take days to perform on old installations.

The emergence of HEPS will significantly increase China's scientific and technological status and will promote innovation in many areas related to human well-being, such as life sciences and power, says Pan Weimin, chief project manager.

The HEPS complex consists of three main buildings. It is noted that from a bird's eye view, their location resembles a magnifying glass, symbolizing "a tool for exploring the microscopic world."^[1]

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