The Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF) Science Center is located in the Zhangjiang High-Tech Park in Pudong, Shanghai, and is affiliated with the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The primary tasks of SSRF Science Center include the construction, commissioning and operation of photon-based large-scale scientific facilities, the research and development of key technologies, and scientific research. This encompasses the construction and operation of the large-scale scientific facilities, including the SSRF and the Shanghai Soft X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility (SXFEL), as well as the construction of the Hard X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility, the Shanghai HIgh repetitioN rate XFEL and Extreme light facility (SHINE). 

 

The SSRF is a third-generation medium-energy synchrotron light source, which consists primarily of a 150 MeV electron linear accelerator, a full-energy booster, and a 3.5 GeV electron storage ring. The SSRF phase I began operation, and was opened to the users, on May 6, 2009. The SSRF phase II (the SSRF Beamline Project) has been successfully commissioned in September 2023. Currently, the SSRF has a total of 34 beamlines and 46 experimental stations, which are open to the users to pursue their research. Over the past 15 years, the SSRF has served nearly 40,000 users from more than 700 institutions nationwide, including universities, research institutions, hospitals and enterprises. Each year, the SSRF is capable of providing the users up to 5,000 hours for their research. Following the successful implementation of the SSRF phase II, the SSRF micro temporal resolution, dynamic process temporal resolution and elemental analysis sensitivity capabilities are at the forefront of the most advanced international third-generation synchrotron radiation facilities.

 

The SXFEL comprises three projects: The Soft X-ray Free Electron Laser Test Facility (SXFEL-TF), the Shanghai Soft X-ray Free Electron Laser User Facility, and the beamline projects for live cell structures and function imaging. The SXFEL has a total length of 532 meters and currently features two undulator lines, two coherent X-ray beamlines and five experimental stations. It is the first fully operational X-ray free electron laser facility in China and the world's first soft X-ray free electron laser facility covering the "water window" spectral range. The facility was officially opened to the users in 2023. The establishment of this facility has significantly advanced the developments within the free electron laser field in China, opened up new areas for the detection and characterization of the biological and non-biological materials in China using the free electron lasers, and provided a unique experimental platform for exploring and verifying new free electron lasers principles, as well as for the development of key technologies. 

 

The SHINE is a major national scientific infrastructure project, which is part of the 13th Five-Year Plan, jointly funded by the national government and the city of Shanghai. The construction began in 2018, and the facility is expected to be operational in 2025. The main construction includes an 8 GeV superconducting linear accelerator, three undulator lines covering a photon energy range from 0.4 to 25 keV, three optical beamlines and the first batch of ten experimental stations. The total length of the facility is 3110 meters. Once completed, SHINE will provide advanced research methods to the users, such as high-resolution imaging, ultrafast process exploration and advanced structural analysis for multiple disciplines, including physics, chemistry, life sciences, materials science and energy science. 

 

The SSRF Science Center provides a cross-disciplinary, comprehensive and multi-functional large-scale scientific research platform to a wide range of users. It has impacted the international community with a number of influential research outcomes within the field of cutting-edge basic research and high-tech development, encompassing life sciences, condensed matter physics, materials science, chemistry, energy and environmental science. These achievements have significantly propelled the development of several correlated disciplines, while strongly fostering internationally competitive research in China. At the same time, it has also further promoted the development of the large-scale scientific facilities in China, including synchrotron radiation and free electron lasers facilities.