Pioneering 3D X-ray Centre Backed with £81 million

STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL) is developing a new advanced imaging centre that will house UK designed super-bright lasers capable of producing 3D X-rays in just 40 seconds.

The UK Government funded £81 million Extreme Photonic Applications Centre (EPAC) opening in 2024, is expected to boost the high value manufacturing sector in the UK by expanding understanding of a range of challenges across pharmaceuticals, aerospace, batteries for electric vehicles or even artificial organs – bringing down the cost of manufacturing and identifying design improvements. When developing new treatments for example, high resolution 3D imaging of a diseased bone with existing technology can take hours or days compared to seconds that could be achieved the new systems.

EPAC will rely on laser technology developed by the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) world-leading Central Laser Facility at RAL, which ranges from advanced compact tuneable lasers able to pinpoint individual particles to high power lasers that recreate the conditions inside stars.

This EPAC launch coincided with the UN marking International Women and Girls in Science Day which aims to encourage women and girls to pursue a career and subjects relating to science and technology.

The new national research centre will build on the work undertaken by 2018 Physics Nobel Prize Winner, and third woman in history to receive this accolade, Donna Strickland – alongside Arthur Ashkin and Gerard Mourou. Her work to develop high-intensity, ultrashort pulses of light beams transformed whole sectors including medicine technology and is now a common technique in laser surgery, among other disciplines.

Science Minister Chris Skidmore said:

“Today’s launch of the £81m advanced imaging centre will enhance the UK’s leading role in laser technology and will help to revolutionise medical imaging.

 “I’m especially delighted to be launching the centre with Physics Nobel Prize winner Donna Strickland – only the third woman in history to achieve this award – on International Day of Women and Girls in Science.”

Physics Nobel Prize Winner Donna Strickland said:

“Science education helps develop skills in problem solving and critical thinking necessary to address some of the world’s biggest challenges. When we encourage girls and women to engage with science, they bring more diversity to science and fresh perspectives that can only help in finding innovative solutions.”

Professor John Collier, Director of the UK’s Central Laser Facility, said:

“Laser driven radiation sources have the potential to be genuinely disruptive, impacting on existing markets and enabling new applications in new areas that previously would not have been possible.  EPAC, through the work of the team of scientists and engineers at CLF and our colleagues in academia, will enable the UK to realise this potential by bringing together the wider science, community in a diverse programme of fundamental and applied research.”

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport, said:

“From informing the design of next generation aerodynamic aircraft components to examining 3D images of human bones, the new Extreme Photonic Applications Centre has applications across many sectors of the economy.”

“This technology will create advances in the science and understanding of materials imaging. UKRI will work with a range of industry partners to realise its potential.”

Funding is provided through UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) Strategic Priorities Fund, with additional investment from the Ministry of Defence.