Science Enabled by MAX 4U

We are currently developing the MAX 4^U Science Case with the user community.
But overall, MAX 4^U unlocks a broad range of new experimental possibilities across all X-ray techniques. The performance gains — more flux, better coherence, smaller beams — can be traded flexibly against each other depending on the scientific need. Key new capabilities include dramatically faster scanning and imaging experiments; spatial resolution improvements of 2–9 times in X-ray microscopy; access to photon energy ranges previously challenging on a medium-energy ring; and in-situ and operando studies of dynamic processes that are currently too slow, too dose-sensitive, or require too much signal to be feasible.

We are currently developing the MAX 4^U Science Case with the user community. MAX 4^U will benefit the full breadth of research carried out at MAX IV. The current draft of the MAX 4^U Science Case identifies five major domains:

• Health and Life Sciences – faster, higher-resolution correlative imaging of tissues and cells; improved macromolecular crystallography for structural biology and time-resolved studies of biomolecular dynamics; enhanced small-angle X-ray scattering for biological assemblies, polymers, and biomaterials. MAX IV is already Sweden’s primary synchrotron for life science research and serves major pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
• Advanced Materials – improved characterization of nanomaterials, engineering metals, composites, and advanced electronics. Specific examples include in-situ monitoring of laser-based 3D metal printing, real-time fracture mechanics at the single-fiber lengthscale, corrosion studies of industrially relevant alloys, and nanoscale imaging of working semiconductor devices with 4 nm spatial resolution.
• Environmental and Earth Sciences – studies of atmospheric particles, soil systems, Earth materials, nutrient cycles, and human-impact topics such as recycling and environmental remediation, benefiting from improved elemental sensitivity and spatial resolution.
• Energy Materials – operando characterization of photovoltaics, batteries, and catalysts under real working conditions, with improved ability to track structural and chemical changes at relevant timescales.
• Quantum Materials – studies of qubit platforms for quantum computing, spintronic devices, and novel magnetic phenomena such as altermagnets, where MAX 4U’s enhanced coherence and flux enable new spectroscopic and imaging approaches.