Swedish Needs in X-ray Science 2025

The Swedish Research Council is making major investments in both the construction and operation of synchrotron and free-electron laser facilities. The facilities that receive direct funding are MAX IV (Lund), ESRF (Grenoble, France), Petra III and European XFEL (both in Hamburg, Germany). By far the largest investment is being made in the national MAX IV laboratory at Lund University.

This report highlights, from the perspective of Swedish users, how research needs and resource utilisation in the field have developed between 2018 and 2024, and discusses issues relating to future instrumentation, skills provision, international development and coordination of user groups.

The report was written by the board of the Swedish Synchrotron and Free-Electron Laser User Organisation (SSUO) on behalf of the Swedish Research Council’s Council for Research infrastructure (RFI). It forms one of several bases for the Swedish Research Council's ongoing strategic work to develop infrastructures for Swedish X-ray science and maximise the research benefits of investments in facilities such as MAX IV and other relevant light sources.