X-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) are 4th-generation X-ray sources, which produce very large numbers of x-ray photons (1011-1012) in very short pulse durations (1-100 femtoseconds). This makes them ideal for certain types of experiments, including time-resolved pump-probe experiments and nonlinear x-ray experiments. The Swiss hard x-ray free electron laser SwissFEL [1-3] started construction at the Paul Scherrer Institute in late 2012, with a planned startup date of 2017 for the ARAMIS hard x-ray undulator section. In this talk I will present an overview of the facility, along with some unique operation modes we anticipate for SwissFEL in comparison to other XFELs around the world. SwissFEL plans to have two experimental stations ready for use in 2017: Experimental Station A, which will specialize in applying x-ray spectroscopic and scattering techniques to photochemical and photobiological systems [4,5], and Experimental Station B which will specialize in applying resonant and non-resonant x-ray diffraction and scattering techniques to condensed matter physics problems [6]. I will present details of the conceptual designs of these experimental stations [7], along with a projected plan for future development. Finally I will cover some recent work we, and others, have performed at XFELs, providing examples of the types of measurements we anticipate will be performed at SwissFEL.
References
1. B. Patterson and R. Abela, PCCP 12, 5647 (2010).
2. B. D. Patterson, R. Abela, H.-H. Braun, U. Flechsig, R. Ganter, Y. Kim, E. Kirk, A. Oppelt, M. Pedrozzi, S. Reiche, L. Rivkin, T. Schmidt, B. Schmitt, V. N. Strocov, S. Tsujino, and A. F. Wrulich, New J Phys 12, 035012 (2010).
3. B. D. Patterson, P. Beaud, H. H. Braun, C. Dejoie, G. Ingold, C. J. Milne, L. Patthey, B. Pedrini, J. Szlachetko, and R. Abela, Chimia 68, 73 (2014).
4. C. J. Milne, R. M. van der Veen, V.-T. Pham, F. A. Lima, H. Rittmann-Frank, M. Reinhard, F. van Mourik, S. Karlsson, T. J. Penfold, and M. Chergui, Chimia 65, 303 (2011).
5. C. J. Milne, T. J. Penfold, and M. Chergui, Coordination Chemistry Reviews (2014). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2014.02.013
6. P. Beaud, S. L. Johnson, E. Vorobeva, C. J. Milne, A. Caviezel, S. O. Mariager, R. A. De Souza, U. Staub, and G. Ingold, Chimia 65, 308 (2011).
7. http://www.psi.ch/swissfel/internal-reports