On 14 January 2026, ZAG hosted a guest lecture by Dr Alexander Rack, Senior Beamline Scientist at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble. The seminar took place in the ZAG seminar room and brought together researchers interested in advanced imaging techniques and their practical applications.

Dr Rack presented the lecture “Synchrotron-based Hard X-ray Imaging at ESRF with the Extremely Brilliant Source”, offering a concise overview of how hard X-ray imaging has evolved into a robust and widely used research tool. He highlighted the ESRF’s long-standing role in developing techniques such as phase-contrast imaging, time-resolved tomography, diffraction-contrast tomography, and nano-imaging.

A central focus of the lecture was the Extremely Brilliant Source (EBS), which significantly increases photon flux and coherence. These advances reduce exposure times and improve sensitivity, opening new possibilities for both scientific and industrial applications. Among the examples presented was battery abuse testing, now routinely available at ESRF beamline ID19, supporting safer battery design and assessment.

Following the lecture, Dr Rack visited the ZAG Fire Laboratory in Logatec, accompanied by Dr Ulises Rojas-Alva and colleagues from ZAG’s Materials Department, Dr Lucia Mancini and Dr Amir Reza Zekavat. The visit included discussions on battery safety, a topic of growing relevance for both institutions and a natural point of convergence for future collaboration.