[THE INVESTOR]  A light source facility that emits X-ray lasers that are 10 billion times brighter than before, was launched in the southeastern city of Pohang on Sept. 29.

Technically known as synchrotron radiation, the light source can measure and analyze compositions in femto and nano units of a second. South Korea is the third country to have the light source facility.

The facility was built at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory of the Pohang University of Science and Technology, located in the city 374 kilometers from Seoul, after four years of construction that cost 429.98 billion won (US$392.26 million).




Called PAL-XFEL (X-ray Free Electron Laser) for short, the facility was put on trial operation in April and succeeded in emitting the high-intensity laser in June. It will start accepting users from next year after a demo test in December with researchers in and out of the country.

The facility will be useful in biotechnology, developing new drugs, researching clean energy and finding new material, according to the science ministry. POSTECH would be able to save some 50 billion won by working with local firms to develop and localize core components and also be able to vie in the world market for light source sized at 5.4 trillion won.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)