2026 User Annual Conference of Hefei Light Source and Hefei Advanced Light Source Successfully Held in Changchun

From July 26 to 28, the 2026 User Annual Conference of Hefei Light Source and Hefei Advanced Light Source was held in Changchun, Jilin Province. The conference was hosted by the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory of the University of Science and Technology of China, and co-organized by the State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials and Comprehensive Extreme Condition High Pressure Science Center of Jilin University, and the State Key Laboratory of Special Luminescent Science and Technology of the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. A total of 317 experts, scholars, and user representatives from 69 universities and research institutes across the country gathered to conduct in-depth exchanges on the construction, operation, and cutting-edge achievements of large-scale scientific facilities. The conference was chaired by Liu Xiaosong, Director of the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory of the University of Science and Technology of China; Liu Bingbing, Director of the State Key Laboratory of Superhard Materials of Jilin University; and Li Dabing, Deputy Director of the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The opening ceremony was presided over by Liu Xiaosong. He extended a warm welcome to all experts and user representatives and noted that over the past year, the Hefei Light Source has maintained a high level of stable open operation and actively advanced the upgrade plan for the HLS3 fourth-generation extreme ultraviolet dedicated light source. The construction of the Hefei Advanced Light Source has been completed, the campus has been officially inaugurated, and the project has fully entered the equipment installation and commissioning phase, with beamline station construction progressing in parallel with preliminary scientific research layout. He expressed hope that all participants would engage in thorough exchanges and discussions, providing valuable suggestions for the continuous optimization of the Hefei Light Source and the high-quality construction of the Hefei Advanced Light Source, thereby promoting the deep integration of light source facilities with cutting-edge science.

Yu Xianghui, Vice President of Jilin University, and Wang Jianli, Deputy Director of the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivered speeches respectively. Yu Xianghui stated that synchrotron radiation light sources, as national strategic assets, are of great significance in multidisciplinary frontier research. She introduced the construction, operation, and scientific achievements of the Comprehensive Extreme Condition Experimental Facility at Jilin University, inviting attendees to visit and exchange ideas on-site. She also expressed hope that this annual conference would serve as an opportunity to further deepen cross-platform and interdisciplinary collaborative innovation and talent cultivation based on the Hefei Light Source, jointly producing more original scientific research results. In his speech, Wang Jianli introduced the profound accumulation and core advantages of the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics in the fields of fundamental optics research and precision optical equipment development. He noted that the institute has long been deeply involved in the construction of the Hefei Light Source, conducting multiple frontier research projects on its platform. He stated that the institute will continue to deepen industry-academia-research collaboration with the Hefei Light Source, making sustained efforts in areas such as advanced materials, precision optical components, and high-end system integration, to jointly promote the high-quality development of China's photon science and optical engineering.

Associate Professor Ye Yifan from the National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory of the University of Science and Technology of China systematically introduced the open operation status of the Hefei Light Source and the engineering progress of the Hefei Advanced Light Source. Researcher Li Xiaodong from the Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Researcher Wang Yu from the Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Researcher Yang Jiayue from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, provided detailed reports on the operational achievements and progress of the High Energy Photon Source and Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, and Dalian Coherent Light Source, respectively.

The conference invited Professor Chen Yulin from the University of Oxford/ShanghaiTech University, Professor Wang Bing from the University of Science and Technology of China, Researcher Di Zhong'an from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Wang Dingsheng from Tsinghua University, Researcher Zhu Ying from Shanghai University, Researcher Zhang Zezhong from the Beijing Institute of Scientific Intelligence, Professor Min Yonggang from Guangdong University of Technology, Researcher Hu Haixiang from the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Professor Liu Zhaodong from Jilin University to share cutting-edge research trends in multidisciplinary fields such as energy catalysis, bioimaging, microelectronics, polymer materials, and AI4Science.

The conference featured six thematic parallel sessions covering core areas including metrology and integrated circuits, biology and multimodal imaging, materials and condensed matter, energy and catalysis, AI empowerment, and advanced light source technology. User representatives from major universities and research institutes across the country presented their latest scientific research achievements to the attendees.

During the conference, 26 user achievement posters were displayed. After voting by the review panel, six attendees, including Mao Zhixian, received the Best Poster Award.

The closing ceremony was presided over by Professor Yang Guoqiang, Deputy Director of the Hefei Light Source User Expert Committee. He stated that the conference showcased the thriving development of China's synchrotron radiation facilities, and the presented achievements fully demonstrated the key role of the Hefei Light Source and Hefei Advanced Light Source in supporting multidisciplinary frontier research. He called on users to continue their deep involvement in facility construction and open sharing, jointly advancing China's synchrotron radiation endeavors to a higher level.

This annual conference comprehensively reviewed the construction, operation, and application innovation achievements of the Hefei Light Source and Hefei Advanced Light Source in 2026, and deeply explored new models and directions for the integration of large-scale scientific facilities and interdisciplinary research. Looking ahead, the two facilities will continue to serve national strategic needs, persistently drive original scientific output and core technology breakthroughs, inject new momentum into China's major scientific infrastructure construction and interdisciplinary development, and contribute to high-level scientific and technological self-reliance and self-strengthening.