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What is
Synchrotron Light?
Have you ever wondered what synchrotron light is?
The dictionary definition of light is
electromagnetic
radiation of any wavelength. Different
types of lights are defined, and categorized by their
wavelength in the electromagnetic spectrum.
The light that our eyes can see is only the smallest
fraction of the electromagnetic spectrum (from
4,000 to about
7,700 angstroms)
. We can see this light because it's wavelengths are
detectable by the cones of our eyes. We can not see the
other lights because they have too short of a wavelength, or
to long of a wavelength.
Synchrotron Light
Synchrotron Light is the electromagnetic radiation
emitted
when charged electrons,
moving
at velocities close to the speed of light, are forced to
change direction by magnetic fields. This electromagnetic
radiation is emitted in a narrow cone in the forward
direction, at tangent to the particle’s orbit. Synchrotron
light is unique in its intensity and brilliance
(see the picture and
the table below).
(Source: Canadian Light Source website)
Another uniqueness of
synchrotron light is that it can be generated across the range
of the electromagnetic spectrum including visible, infra-red,
ultra-violet, 'soft' and 'hard' x-ray and microwaves
(see the spectrum below).
Synchrotron scientists are trying to push
synchrotron light farther into the X-ray and microwave regions and
the brightness has improved over years as shown in the
picture above.
The electromagnetic spectrum below shows wavelengths of
radiation emitted by various sources and the names of the
radiations based on their wavelength frequencies and sizes and
lots more. You will learn a lot from this picture if you look
carefully.

(Electromagnetic spectrum)
Synchrotron light is not just limited to Synchrotrons. As
mentioned above, the real name of Synchrotron light is
electromagnetic radiation. Anything that emits any form of
electromagnetic radiation from microwaves to x-rays is emitting
a form of Synchrotron light. The only difference is that
Synchrotrons makes the radiation up to a billion times more
brilliant than the normal radiation emitted by other man-made
objects.
The
table below shows the brightness of synchrotron light compared to
other lights. Brightness is measured by roughly calculating the
number of photons that strike a 1mm˛ sample during one second
exposure.
|
Comparative brightness of lights from
various sources |
|
Type of
light |
Photons
per second per mm2 |
|
Synchrotron Light
|
10 000 000
000 000 000 000 |
|
Sunlight
|
10 000 000
000 000 |
|
Candle |
1 000 000
000 |
|
Medical
X-ray |
10 000 000
|
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