In this IRES project supported by the Office of International Science and Engineering, U.S. graduate and undergraduate students under the direction of Professor Alex Volinsky at the University of South Florida will participate in a collaborative engineering research effort with two German institutions, the Technical University in Dresden and Deutsches Elektronen-Synchotron (DESY) research center in Hamburg. Over the course of three years a total of 15 U.S. students will work in teams on optimization and control of the thermomechanical stability of X-ray optics using both Finite Elements (FE) modeling and X-ray diffraction experiments. The students will receive special training in thermomechanical modeling and X-ray diffraction prior to their international visit. The international collaborators include Professor Dirk Meyer in Dresden and Professor Dmitri Novikov at DESY.
Heating of X-ray optics is a major problem with synchrotrons and in-house X-ray sources, since it causes beam distortions and makes beam conditioning a challenging task. Only one degree Celsius change in surface temperature significantly affects the diffracted X-ray beam wavelength, rendering it unusable. Currently liquid nitrogen is used to cool diffraction-based synchrotron optics, but through design improvements and optimization the results of this project could help significantly to improve the thermomechanical stability of the X-ray optics without requiring such cumbersome operating conditions. The students involved in this project will gain an invaluable research experience in an international setting, helping contribute to the development of a new generation of a skilled technical workforce with a multidisciplinary and global perspective.
The project supported 13 students, including 2 undergraduate students and the PI travel to Europe to conduct research at the European X-ray Free Electron Laser and DESY facilities in Hamburg, Germany, Frascati Lab in Italy and the University of Leoben in Austria. The students traveled to Europe in the summer (4 summers) for three months. They participated in the engineering research projects relevant to the mission and the objectives of the hosting organizations in Europe. Examples of specific projects include finite element analysis of the thermomechanical deformation of the X-ray optics for light sources, studying secondary electron yield from surfaces, modeling building and equipment vibrations, studying mechanical properties of thin films, etc. As a result of the projects and research experience, undergraduate students have been recruited to the graduate school. Graduate students obtained invaluable international research experience, learned how to use advanced equipment and software. The broader impact of the project is in the form of the models for better X-ray optics and design implementation, etc. Additional broader impact is in the form of the unique students training and experience obtained in Europe using advanced equipment and software. Several publications in the archival journals and conference proceedings have been submitted and published.
