General Lab Information

photo of researcher at beamline instrument

Science at NSLS-II

Shining a light on the world’s most challenging problems

From batteries and microelectronics to drug design and future quantum computers, scientists advance our understanding of materials every day to solve the world’s greatest challenges. However, today's problems are so complex that they require researchers to study materials with highly specialized tools that are not readily available at most institutions.

As one of the newest, most advanced synchrotron light sources in the world, the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) enables research communities to study materials with nanoscale resolution and exquisite sensitivity by providing cutting-edge capabilities. Together with visiting researchers from all around the world, interdisciplinary teams at NSLS-II uncover the atomic structure, elemental makeup, and electronic behavior of materials. Our 29 experimental stations, called beamlines, offer holistic ways to investigate molecules in motion, devices under working conditions, and materials under extreme or real-life conditions.

By creating this deeper understanding of materials, these research teams advance our knowledge in a wide range of scientific disciplines such as life sciences, quantum materials, energy storage, advanced materials science, physics, chemistry, and biology.

Research Areas

Energy Conversion and Storage

Advanced Manufacturing

Condensed Matter Physics

Life Sciences

Microelectronics

Environmental and Geosciences

Quantum Materials

Soft Matter Physics

Catalytic Materials

Quantum Enhanced Microscope

Nuclear Science