In the presence of representatives of the European Commission, the Czech Academy of Sciences, ministries, partner institutions, and industry, the Surface Science Laboratory Station (SSLS) research apparatus was officially inaugurated on February 12 at the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. The apparatus was moved to Prague from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Karlsruhe.
SSLS is a large modern laboratory station with ultra-high vacuum (UHV) designed for detailed study of material surfaces using advanced spectroscopic and analytical methods. It focuses on research into actinides (a group of 15 chemical elements with proton numbers 89 to 103, of which uranium and thorium occur naturally in the Earth's crust) and other functional materials with potential applications in energy, nuclear safety, catalysis, hydrogen technologies, and quantum materials. The SSLS apparatus enables the study of the electron structure, chemical bonds, and physical properties of materials at the atomic level, which is key to the development of new technological solutions in basic and applied research. The ability to work with elements such as uranium and thorium is unique on a global scale for such complex equipment.
"We are very pleased that, thanks to our success in the tender, we have managed to acquire the unique SSLS apparatus for our FZU in Prague, and we would like to thank our colleagues at the JRC for the great trust they have placed in us. With the help of SSLS, we will be able to further develop very important scientific topics in the field of advanced materials surface research at a truly world-class level," said FZU Director Michael Prouza.
The SSLS apparatus was acquired in an open tender by the European Commission by a consortium led by the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences with the participation of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University, the Jaroslav Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, and the Faculty of Nuclear and Physical Engineering of the Czech Technical University. In Prague, SSLS will be operated as part of an emerging joint laboratory platform that will enable the systematic development of open access to infrastructure, support for excellent research, and the effective transfer of knowledge to the application sphere. This step represents a significant milestone in international research cooperation and fundamentally strengthens the Czech Republic's capacity in the field of nuclear safety research and the study of advanced materials in general.
"For the first time in its history, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) is relocating a laboratory under its brand to an EU member state. By moving this state-of-the-art instrument to the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Prague, we are opening a new chapter in European scientific cooperation and creating a model for how research infrastructure can be shared across Europe in the future," says European Commission spokesman Maciej Berestecki.
Photo: Josef Landergott / CAS
