Virtual Visit: ALBA Synchrotron (Spain)

ALBA is a 3rd generation Synchrotron Light facility located in Cerdanyola del Vallès, (Barcelona), being the newest source in the Mediterranean area.

It is a complex of electron accelerators to produce synchrotron light, which allows the visualization of the atomic structure of matter and the study of its properties.  

The 3 GeV electron beam energy at ALBA is achieved by combining a LInear ACcelerator (LINAC) and a low-emittance, full-energy BOOSTER placed in the same tunnel as the STORAGE RING. ALBA's 270 meter perimeter has 17 straight sections all of which are available for the installation of insertion devices.

ALBA currently has ten state-of-the-art operational beamlines, comprising soft and hard X-rays, which are devoted mainly to biosciences, condensed matter (magnetic and electronic properties, nanoscience), and materials science. Additionally, four beamlines are in construction (low-energy ultra-high-resolution angular photoemission for complex materials, microfocus for macromolecular crystallography, absorption and diffraction, and fast X-ray tomography & radioscopy).

This large scientific infrastructure provides more than 6.000 hours of beam time per year and is available for the academic and industrial sectors, serving more than 2.000 researchers every year. Since as early as 2012, ALBA has been hosting official users, 65% from Spanish institutions and 35% from other countries.

Virtual Visit

The ALBA Synchrotron organizes free guided tours where participants can discover what a synchrotron light source is and the applications of its different beamlines and equipment.

• Profile: The visits are aimed exclusively at school groups (4th ESO, 1st and 2nd Baccalaureate), university groups, vocational training, and researchers, as well as professional and cultural institutions and associations. 
• If you do not belong to any of these groups, you can visit the installation in the ALBA OPEN DAY.
• Duration: 1,15 hours
• Book a visit has required a minimum of 15 people and a maximum of 30 participants. If your group is bigger, please book two virtual visit sessions.

There are three virtual tour formats:

Live Tour. A person from ALBA will show the synchrotron by moving around the facility with a camera and visitors will see it via Zoom videoconference allowing them to interact and ask questions with the guide.

ALBA Synchrotron in 360º. A person from ALBA has pre-recorded the visit in the following video so that anyone can make the visit without timetables or rush.

Virtual Tour. Access the installation yourself and discover the hidden corners of ALBA.

HOW TO REQUEST A VISIT

You must fill out the form according to the group typology and choose the most suitable schedule which is available. You will automatically receive a response and, once we have checked your request, you will receive a confirmation e-mail and the instructions to join the videoconference or to enter to ALBA facility.

The form only shows tours for the next 3 months. On the first working Monday of every month, new tours will be offered for the following month (in January the form updates the tours available in April; in February tours for May are offered, etc). There is no waiting list.

• High School Students (Find the dossier and other educational resources to prepare for the visit!)
• University and professional training students
• Researchers, enterprises, institutions, and associations

For more information, click here.

Localization

Carrer de la Llum 2-26
08290 Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain
Tel: +34 93 592 43 00
Fax: +34 93 592 4301