Linac Coherent Light Source
The Linac Coherent Light Source ( LCLS ) is an X-ray laser source at SLAC in Stanford, USA.
Its X-ray pulses are 80 femtoseconds long and have wavelengths between 0.15 and 15 nanometers. For example, they can be used to measure atomic and molecular processes with high time resolution. Due to the high radiation intensity, the structure of individual biomolecules can be examined with their help - the formation of a molecular crystal is not necessary.
In the LCLS, electrons are accelerated in an approximately 1 km long section of the former linear accelerator at the SLAC. In the subsequent 130 meter long section with undulators , they are deflected in a spatially periodic magnetic field and generate up to 120 X-ray pulses per second. The LCLS cost $ 420 million and went into service in early October 2009.
The LCLS is displacing the free-electron laser FLASH , which was built in Germany, from its top position. While FLASH covers the range of soft X-rays , the LCLS emits hard X-rays. The European XFEL should be able to generate even harder X-rays in the future .
Web links
swell
- Physics Journal 11/2009
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from June 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
