The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL), a Directorate of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC), is an Office of Science User Facility operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by Stanford University. Located in Menlo Park, California, SLAC is a multi-program national laboratory exploring frontier questions in photon science, astrophysics, biochemistry, material science, particle physics and accelerator research. SLAC engages in fundamental research which is published or shared broadly with the scientific community. The DOE Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time.

The SSRL SPEAR3 3-GeV, high-brightness third-generation storage ring, upgraded in 2004, operates at 500 mA in top-off mode, with high reliability and low emittance. SSRL's extremely bright x-rays are a resource for researchers to study our world at the atomic and molecular level, leading to major advances in energy production, environmental remediation, nanotechnology, new materials, biology and medicine. SSRL provides unique educational experiences and serves as a vital training ground for future generations of scientists and engineers.