What's "Big Light"? An Overview for Laypeople

"Big Light" is an initiative of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory to construct a fourth-generation free electron laser light source alongside the lab's world-leading high magnetic field user facility at The Florida State University.

Pairing this unique light source with high magnetic fields will open up a new experimental regime that has never been available to scientists by spanning the challenging region of the electromagnetic spectrum between the highest frequencies currently employed in electronics/cell phone technology, and the visible part of the spectrum. Bridging this so-called "terahertz gap" with a bigger, brighter and better light source designed with experimental science in mind will enable researchers to probe nature in completely new ways.

The addition of Big Light to the nation's research arsenal will provide transformational research opportunities in disciplines spanning condensed matter physics, materials science, chemistry, biochemistry, biology and medicine, including:

• The study of new materials that could one day lead to faster and smaller electronics, and possibly even quantum computing
• Research that could move fuel cell technology forward by learning more about chemical reactions – and how to control them
• Research that could lead to cleaner and more efficient refining of fossil fuels and the reduction of carbon dioxide
• The study of superconductors that could change the way electricity is transmitted and stored, and
• Research into the structure and functions of biologically important molecules that could lead to insights into understanding disease processes and drug discovery.

Placing Big Light at a university and a user facility also maximizes its impact for science and technology training and education in areas critical to America's future.

For more information contact EMR program director Stephen Hill.