ISA is a Danish National Facility where research is carried out over a wide range of the natural and life sciences, including
fundamental physics, material science, molecular biology and laboratory astrophysics, using accelerators and storage rings.
Access to ISA
Call for ISA proposals - Closed!
The call for ISA proposals for beam time in 2024 is closed. However if you are interested in applying for beam time on one of the ASTRID2 beam lines, then it may still be possible. Please read the information
contained in the link below and contact the relevant beam line scientist to see if there is time available.
ISA welcomes applications, from national or international groups, for access to any of the ISA research facilities.
Apply for free-of-charge access to the AU-UV and MatLine beam lines through NEP.
It is possible to apply for TNA through the EU H2020 project NEP. Proposals are submitted through the NFFA website,
but this is only applicable for access to the AU-UV
and MatLine facilities at ASTRID2.
Support for TNA to ASTRID2 through NEPHEWS
With a special focus on users from EU widening countries, Ukraine and from countries without direct access to large scale research infrastructures in their country,
it is possible to apply for TNA through the Horizon Europe project NEPHEWS.
Applications for this support are accepted as part of ISA's annual call for proposals,
and is applicable for access to all facilities on ASTRID2
Latest News
September 2023
The NFFA-Europe PILOT (NEP) access scheme.
The EU funded project NFFA-Europe PILOT (NEP) aims at increasing European competitiveness in nanosciences and nanotechnologies and includes an open access platform for carrying out comprehensive projects for
multidisciplinary research at the nanoscale. The projects qualified for access includes the use of synchrotron radiation sources.
Special to the NEP project is that it is not an alternative vehicle to only access Large Scale Facilities, like ASTRID2, and access is not granted to a beam line alone. The proposal has to include access to more than one type of installation under the NEP programme.
NEP is currently under amendment preparations to include ISA for offering free-of-charge transnational (TNA) access to the ASTRID2 Matline and AU-UV beam lines. It is expected that this access method will be available during the first half of 2024.
Please note that access via NEP is handled via the programme website directly and does not require submission of an ISA proposal.
EU project NEutrons and PHotons Elevating Worldwide Science (NEPHEWS) under grant aggreement preparation.
Together with 22 other synchrotron radiation and Neutron facilities, ISA is participating in the EU project NEutrons and PHotons Elevating Worldwide Science (NEPHEWS). Under NEPHEWS we will
offer free-of-charge transnational access (TNA) to the ASTRID2 beam lines, covering travel and accommodation for eligible users.
NEPHEWS has a special focus on EU Widening countries, Ukraine and Africa, but researchers from all EU member states and associated countries may apply to benefit from the TNA programme.
NEPHEWS is currently under grant agreement preparations with the EC, and we expect to be able to offer access under this program during the first half year of 2024.
The second Call for TransNational Access (TNA) proposals for 2023 is open!
The ReMade-TNA funding support represents a great opportunity for all scientists conducting circular economy research to benefit from a wide range of services including facility access, travel and accommodation support, and much more.
As a hub dedicated to developing new materials for a circular economy, ReMade@ARI provides scientists exploring the properties and structures of recyclable materials with coordinated access to more than 50 European analytical research infrastructures.
The deadline for submission of TNA projects is 11th October 2023
Online, 23rd Jan to 3rd Feb. 2023, organised by African Light Source Foundation
The School will introduce young scientists to the design, operation, and research opportunities offered at a modern synchrotron light source and how such sources are realized.
14th to 19th of May 2023 at Hotel Hermitage, La Biodola Bay, Elba Island, Italy.
On the charming island of Elba, in May 2023, the frontiers of Life Sciences meet the cutting-edge developments of Large Facilities.
LEAPS - the League of European Accelerator based-Photon Sources is organizing its 2023 Conference LEAPS Meets Life Sciences Conference. During five residential days, participants
will have the opportunity to hear from a slate of inspiring, thought, and research leaders in the areas of New Biology, Unmet Medical Needs, Correlative Imaging, and Structural Dynamics.
The participants will contribute with selected talks and posters to the scientific discussion by submitting their own work.
Villigen, 28 October: Against a backdrop of the energy crisis, scientists and policymakers convened at Paul Scherrer Institute PSI in Switzerland and set out a vision for European
accelerator based photon sources to address current and future societal challenges together.
“LEAPS facilities find themselves in a unique position of simultaneously needing to adapt as heavy energy users whilst being an integral part of the solution.” So said
Leonid Rivkin from the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI, Switzerland, Chair of the League of European Accelerator-based Photon Sources (LEAPS). Speaking at the 5th LEAPS plenary
meeting, Rivkin commented that planned facility upgrades to leading European research infrastructures will help favourably shift the balance, providing more X-rays for more
science with less energy consumption.
The second call for SME proposals is open from the 9th of September 2022 to the 28th of July 2023
SMEs can benefit from light source capabilities thanks to the European project LEAPS-INNOV, which is supporting industrial projects in an easy, agile and simple procedure.
LEAPS-INNOV is funding an access programme that is tailor-made for SMEs through a programme called "TamaTA-INNOV", for which SMEs can apply using a very simple form.
Read more about the opportunities available and submit a proposal here.
September 2022
This LEAPS-INNOV webinar will be held for the second time on 3 November 2022, 11:00-12:00 CET.
The seminar will deal with the topic of Intellectual Property (IP) and will answer the following questions:
What is IP?
What is a patent ?
How can I get a patent?
How do I read a patent?
External professionals will be invited to give the training and to support the work of the technical work packages (WPs) in the project in
dealing with the complex issue of IP and in working with industry. The workshop which is organized by LEAPS-INNOV WP8 (Industry) and DESY ITT is
targeted to the technical teams in the WPs.
Further information and the registration form is available here.
In 2023 ASTRID2 provided 31 weeks of user beam time to the 6 operational beam lines, with normal operation at 180 mA top-up. Machine physics studies are ongoing in order to improve stability and lifetime of the beam.
In 2008 ISA was awarded money to build a new high brilliance synchrotron storage ring, ASTRID2. Construction of the ring began in 2011 and by April 2012 the whole ring was
under vacuum and ready for testing.
The first beam was injected into the ASTRID2 ring on
Monday 14th May 2012 and the first full turn of ASTRID2 was accomplished on Tuesday the 10th July 2012. On the 7th
of August electrons circulated the ring for almost 200 µs (1300 turns of the ring). On the 2nd of November
2012 a stored beam with RF was acheived for the first time. Commissioning of ASTRID2 proceeded well in 2013 and on the
13th of September 2013 200 mA of current was stored in ASTRID2 and top-up at 200 mA successful. In December 2013 the first external user came to do experiments on the AU-UV beam line.
2014 saw the commissioning of the AU-SGM3, AU-Matline and AU-CD beam lines, with all beam lines fully operational by mid 2014. In early 2016 the newest beam line, AMOLine, was commissioned.