Berkeley Lab researchers led by Yuegang Zhang at the Molecular Foundry successfully used direct chemical vapor deposition to synthesize single-layer graphene films on dielectric substrates. This is a major step towards future applications of graphene in both the electronics and the photonics industries, starting with superfast transistors and computer memory chips. Graphene, the two-dimensional crystalline form of carbon, is a potential superstar material if scientists can learn to make the material in high quality and usable quantities. More>
Space Planning: Moves Planned for Life, Earth Sciences, EETD and Ops To accommodate the Lab's expanded research programs and the space required to support these activities, Director Alivisatos and his senior management team have decided to relocate several of the Lab's divisions. The Life Sciences Division will be consolidated at the Potter St. location, Earth Sciences will move to Buildings 74 and 84, Environmental Energy Technologies will expand its space in Building 90 (created by the departure of Earth Sciences), and some Operations staff will be moved offsite for approximately three years. Also, office-space metrics will be completed in May, which will enable more efficient use of existing space on the Hill. Discussions are also continuing on the establishment of a second site, which will start with a biosciences focus and have room for significant expansion in the future. A location will likely be named in the next 18 to 24 months.
Research: Work on Splitting Water Molecules Highlighted at SSRL The splitting of a water molecule during photosynthesis provides energy for plants and oxygen for the atmosphere. It also holds the key to sustainable energy technologies. Junko Yano and Vittal Yachandra of the Physical Biosciences Division were part of a team that used the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) to make the first direct observations of the oxygen x-ray emission signal in photosystem II, the complex of plant proteins where water molecules are split. This signal is now being used to track the water splitting reaction. More>
Training: Class on Archiving Files, Records on April 22 Are you running out of space in your office, moving to a new office, or tasked with processing the records of retiring (or already retired) scientists? Learn more about files that need to be kept, which can be archived, and which can be disposed of at a workshop (BLI0926) sponsored by the Archives and Records Office and the Berkeley Lab Institute on Thursday, April 22, from 10:30 a.m. to noon in Perseverance Hall. Go here to register.
Special Event: Audience Response at LHC EventThe Physics Division’s Ian Hinchliffe, plus Malika Meddahi of CERN and Elizabeth Clements of Fermilab, packed the house at swissnex in San Francisco last week to hear “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Large Hadron Collider.” Go here to see enthusiastic reactions from the varied audience, including Liz Moxon of the Advanced Light Source, and here for the highlights of the presentations themselves.
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