Diamond Light Source resembles a giant microscope, which, by accelerating electrons to a speed close to the speed of light, allows them to emit light billions of times brighter than the Sun. Electrons emit synchrotron radiation – very bright X-rays – tangentially as they move in a circle.

Scientists who use the infrastructure of the research centre in Didot can use its extraordinary functionality for comprehensive research – from paleontological and microbiological analyses to studies in physics.

A panoramic photo from the main entrance to the Diamond Light Source measuring hall, photo by Piotr Dzięgielewski

Our researchers used Diamond Light Source to measure the atomic structure of Zr-based metallic glass under extremely high pressure, reaching the assumed 70 GPa (1/5 of the pressure inside the Earth) by using nanopolycrystalline diamonds specially prepared by a Japanese team.

The aim of the project was to confirm theoretical predictions that suggest the occurrence of non-gradual change in the electron state of Zr atoms, as well as their size. Dr Dzięgielewski, who led the project, invited colleagues from Cranfield University and Bristol University to cooperate – together the researchers crossed a previously impassable boundary in the study of metallic glass in the exotic conditions of high pressure.

– The results we obtained are very promising, because they will allow us to either reject or confirm the hypothesis according to which the changes occurring in the atomic structure are caused by a rapid change in the electron state of Zr atoms – dr Dzięgielewski explains. – The results obtained in this experiment shed new light on the nature of matter, which can be found both in geological processes on Earth and in cosmic geology. This is a new and promising direction of research.