French national synchrotron facility providing X-ray beamline access for structural biology, materials characterization, heritage science, and environmental analysis across Europe.
Synchrotron SOLEIL operates one of France's major synchrotron radiation facilities near Paris, providing high-intensity X-ray, ultraviolet, and infrared beams for research across structural biology, materials science, cultural heritage, and environmental studies. They offer transnational user access to their beamlines, enabling scientists and industrial partners across Europe to conduct experiments in protein crystallography, spectroscopy, and nanoscale imaging. Beyond operating the facility, they actively contribute to developing FAIR data services for photon science, train early-career researchers through Marie Skłodowska-Curie networks, and participate in accelerator technology innovation for next-generation light sources.
Core expertise demonstrated across iNEXT, iNEXT-Discovery, ivMX (their only coordinated project), and OPEN SESAME — spanning in vivo crystallography, NMR, and translational research for drug discovery.
Central to their identity through EuPRAXIA, ARIES, CALIPSOplus, LEAPS-INNOV (their largest funded project at EUR 2.2M), I.FAST, and the NFFA-Europe nanoscience platforms.
Consistent involvement in IPERION CH, E-RIHS PP, and IPERION HS — using synchrotron techniques for non-destructive analysis of cultural artifacts.
Growing focus shown through ExPaNDS (EOSC photon data services), NEP (FAIR data interoperability), and LEAPS-INNOV — all from 2019 onward.
Contributions to HYCOAT (molecular/atomic layer deposition for hybrid coatings) and BIG-MAP (battery materials acceleration platform) bring their characterization capabilities to applied materials research.
PANORAMA project applies synchrotron-based speciation and bioavailability analysis to rare earth elements as emerging pollutants — a new direction for their facility.
In the early H2020 period (2015–2018), SOLEIL focused heavily on structural biology, accelerator physics, and heritage science — providing beamline access for protein crystallography, participating in plasma accelerator design studies, and supporting cultural heritage analysis networks. From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted noticeably toward data infrastructure (FAIR data, EOSC integration, metadata catalogues), applied materials research (batteries, hybrid coatings), and open innovation models for light sources. This evolution reflects a facility moving from pure access provision toward becoming a data-enabled, industry-facing research infrastructure.
SOLEIL is transitioning from a traditional user facility toward a digitally integrated, industry-oriented research infrastructure with growing emphasis on open data services and materials innovation for energy applications.
SOLEIL overwhelmingly participates as a partner or third party rather than leading projects — they coordinated only 1 of 20 projects (ivMX, a focused crystallography study). They operate in large European consortia, having worked with 267 unique partners across 33 countries, which is characteristic of a major research infrastructure that serves a broad user community. Their role is typically providing facility access, beamline expertise, and characterization services to consortia rather than setting the research agenda themselves.
With 267 unique consortium partners spanning 33 countries, SOLEIL maintains one of the broadest collaboration networks among French research facilities. Their partnerships are concentrated in Western Europe but extend to Middle Eastern institutions (through OPEN SESAME) and global nanoscience networks.
SOLEIL is one of only a handful of third-generation synchrotron facilities in Europe, giving it a natural monopoly on certain beamline capabilities in the French research ecosystem. Their unusual breadth — spanning structural biology, heritage science, environmental analysis, and battery materials — means they can serve as a one-stop characterization partner for consortia that need multi-technique access. Their growing investment in FAIR data infrastructure also positions them as a bridge between traditional experimental facilities and the European Open Science Cloud.
