High pressure research has expanded very rapidly over the past decades in all the fields of sciences. For example in chemistry to orientate reaction, in physics to explore interatomic interactions and generate novel states of matter, in material science for the study of ultra hard compounds and the synthesis of new phases, in geosciences to reproduce the extreme conditions in the planets interior, or in biology to investigate extremophilic animals or the conformation of proteins. Synchrotron radiation facilities worldwide have played a major role in this expansion, especially thanks to diamond anvil cells that are transparent to whole accessible spectral range. At the SOLEIL synchrotron, there is a growing number of beamlines involved in high-pressure research among which ODE (dispersive XAS), CRISTAL (diffraction), SMIS (infrared), AILES (far-infrared), LUCIA (µXAS), SWING (SAXS-WAXS), MARS (radioactive samples) as well as phase 2 beamlines such as PSICHE (high pressure diffraction) and GALAXIES (IXS). This comes in with the next opening of the High Pressure Laboratory at SOLEIL that will promote new technical developments, ease the access to the pressure sample environment and likely attract new users. To further develop high-pressure research, collaborations between research groups are necessary along with new instrumentation. At SOLEIL, this includes for instance novel cryostats adapted to diamond anvil cells on ODE, the horizontal IR microscope on SMIS, the in situ ultra high vacuum-compatible pressure measuerment device on LUCIA, the 7000 bar cell on SWING or the laser heating system and the multi-anvil press on PSICHE. Thanks to the quality of the 3rd generation synchrotron beam and to the recent technological advances, the demand for high-pressure experiments has been on a steep rise. The aim of this workshop is to spark the interest to high-pressure research among an even larger community of users while focusing on recent technological developments, eventually enhancing the attractiveness of synchrotron radiation centers. The workshop will gather speakers from different scientific horizons and will manage room for discussion about the evolution of high-pressure research. Detailed information is available on the following site

http://www.synchrotron-soleil.fr/Soleil/ToutesActualites/Workshops/2012/...