Objective
X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) are today’s by far most advanced technology for imaging of atomic structures and ultrafast dynamics, underpinning breakthroughs in life sciences, structural biology, materials, semiconductor and fusion science and technology. However, today’s XFELs rely on kilometre-scale underground electron accelerators housed in billion-euro facilities, restricting them to a handful of large giga-infrastructures worldwide. As a result, research teams that want to use XFELs need to go through long application processes and even if successful face year-long waiting times for very limited one-time access to these systems. Access to XFELs today thus represents a severe bottleneck to faster and more efficient scientific and technological progress.
NEXLIGHT aims to lay the groundwork for creating an industry that builds transformative next generation XFELs which are >100x smaller than today’s XFELs (~10 meters instead of several kilometres), >100x less costly (<€20m instead of >€bn), and which can facilitate experiments which are scientifically impossible at today’s XFELs. Access to XFEL beamtime would become widely available, either through the establishment of regional XFEL centres where customers can flexibly book low-cost beamtime, or by stakeholders outright purchasing dedicated XFELs for their own exclusive use. This transformation would make XFELs a) routine instruments for scientific research, allowing new insights to be achieved faster and at lower costs, and b) a key enabling technology for high-value industrial applications, including semiconductor manufacturing, pharmaceutical drug discovery, and dvanced energy technologies.
NEXLIGHT’s XFEL systems will be based on the combination of two break-through technological concepts: a) plasma wakefield acceleration, which provides accelerating gradients orders of magnitude higher than conventional technology, and b) electron beams from plasma photocathodes, which have been developed during the NeXource ERC project and are many orders of magnitude brighter than traditional electron beam sources.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
40225 Dusseldorf
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.