Pfeiffer Vacuum at SIRIUS, the new Brazilian Synchrotron light source

Asslar, Germany, February 15, 2021. Sirius is the name of the brightest star in the night sky, but also the name of the new Brazilian synchrotron light source. Designed to be one of the world’s first 4th generation synchrotron light sources, it will be the most complex scientific infrastructure ever built in Brazil. It is a strategic research infrastructure for cutting-edge scientific research and the search for solutions to global problems, in areas such as health, agriculture, energy and the environment.

The new light source is located in the city of Campinas, state of São Paulo, within the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM). Ahead of the project, with the expertise of more than 23 years in synchrotron light, the National Synchrotron Light Laboratory (LNLS), linked to CNPEM, has led this successful project since 2008.

“The high quality of Pfeiffer Vacuum products combined with the excellent support of the representative in Brazil, AVACO, guarantee the reliability in the construction of the light lines without obstacles, with regard to the generation of vacuum, which is the crucial point for carrying out the experiments. . ” – says Gustavo Lorencini M.P. Rodrigues, Scientific Instrumentation Supervisor, in charge of offering the most diverse engineering services necessary for the operation and development of the facilities of the Engineering Division of Light Lines – beam lines and laboratories.

Pfeiffer Vacuum, with the support of its representative in Brazil, Avaco Tecnologia em Vácuo, is proud to supply several ACP multi-stage pumps, HiPace turbomolecular pumps, helium leak detectors and customized vacuum chambers. One of the key points of a state-of-the-art particle accelerator is the vacuum. The use of clean and reliable vacuum pumps is essential to ensure an ultra high clean vacuum and maintain it in the long run.

With proven experience of quality and reliability, the HiPace turbo pump was Sirius’ choice for front-end installations and experimental lines. In combination with the HiPace turbo pumps, the ACP multi-stage pumps delivered Sirus with a clean primary vacuum, without the presence of hydrocarbons or particles.

COVID 19: The first research station to start operating at Sirius is the Manacá beamline, dedicated to protein crystallography. Using X-ray diffraction, this beamline can reveal details of the structure of biological molecules, such as viral proteins. These studies have the potential to develop drugs for the treatment of patients with COVID-19.