Technology transfer
As a world leading synchrotron, the ESRF has developed unique technologies and equipment that makes it one of the most productive synchrotrons worldwide. The ESRF believes that these innovations which are used daily for its own user programmes, should also be of benefit to other institutes and industry.
Selected developments and technologies are available directly from the ESRF or under a licence as a technology transfer to industry. If you are curious about discovering a few of our cutting-edge innovations, check out the brochure here!
Our technology transfer policy
- Promotes the use of ESRF technologies to benefit society through licensing to companies who turn them into successful commercial products.
- Supports the innovative goal of the ESRF by generating licensing income which is recycled to our user and development programmes, and contributes to the recognition of the inventors.
- Develops partnerships with local and international industrial networks.
For more information, contact us.
OUR IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION
Crystal analysers
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Crystal Analysers are optical devices for X-rays consisting of a thin single-crystal wafer bonded onto a shaped glass surface. The adhesion is performed with epoxy glue or by anodic bonding and the wafers are principally made from Si or Ge. Through a combination of Bragg diffraction and focusing, these crystals permit very precise measurement of X-ray energies for spectroscopic applications. More information - Crystal Analyser lab - Contact us |
Scintillators
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Inorganic crystals also called scintillators are widely used on synchrotron beamlines to convert X-rays into visible light. Thin film layer growth requires several advanced techniques: sputtering, chemical solution deposition, liquid phase epitaxy (LPE), laser ablation, etc. LPE technique was chosen due to its high reproducibility, simplicity and homogeneity. ESRF manufactures essentially 3 types of scintillators at LPE. More information - Liquid phase epitaxy facility - Contact us |
IcePAP - intelligent motor control system
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IcePAP is a motor control system developed at the ESRF and optimised for high-resolution position applications. The emphasis has been put on covering most of the requirements of synchrotron radiation experiments at the ESRF beamlines. |
Dynaflow Cryostat
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The Dynaflow Cryostat was designed at the ESRF to provide efficient sample cooling at very low temperatures (down to 2.5K). Unlike other cryostats where the sample is cooled in contact with a cold plate, the sample is positioned directly in the helium flow for enhanced cooling. More information. |
Magnetic measuring bench
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The Insertion Device field measurement systems developed at the ESRF incorporate 18 years of experience. More than 100 devices (undulators, wigglers, helical undulators, in-vacuum undulators) have been successfully processed with accurate and fast measuring systems. |
Miniature ionisation chamber
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A small windowless ionisation chamber was developed for monitoring and correcting the intensity of an incoming microbeam. Kocsis M. and Somogyi A. - "Miniature ionization chamber detector" - Journal of Synchrotron Radiation - Vol.10 - pp.187-190 - 2003. |
2D gas detector
Technical information (pdf 59.5kb) | If you require details, please contact us.
OUR PATENTS
RF fingers
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The ESRF-EBS storage ring features new vacuum chamber profiles with reduced aperture. Radio frequency (RF) fingers are a key component to ensure good vacuum conditions and reach the best possible machine performance. A more compact, more robust and more reliable design has been produced for the new storage ring. More information here. |
OUR LICENCES
Technology licensing plays an important role in transferring ESRF innovations to industry. To date, the ESRF has established 35 tech licences, with the active ones listed below.
| Attenuator System | Licensed to IRELEC |
| Cavity Combiner | Licensed to Jema France |
| Cooled UHV compatible refractive lens | Licensed to JJ X-Ray |
| Detector interconnection systems | Licensed to Canberra Eurisys |
| Devt compact SDD modules for SR | Licensed to Mirion Technology |
| Flow reactor for X-ray studies | Licensed to Leiden Probe Microscopy |
| High Precision miniature X-ray Slits | Licensed to JJ X-Ray |
| Mirror benders | Licensed to IRELEC |
| Sagittal benders | Licensed to FMB Oxford Ltd |
| 2 KB optical systems for focusing X-ray beam | Licensed to IRELEC |
| Microtomography furnace | Licensed to IRELEC |
| Mini Kappa Goniometer Head | Licensed to EMBL |
partners
European Synchrotron Radiation Facility - 71, avenue des Martyrs, CS 40220, 38043 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.