Developments of new research areas and breakthroughs in science are often linked to the development of new instrumentation. Using superconducting accelerator technology, we propose to build the Ångström Laser (see Fig. 1): a source of high repetition rate femtosecond flashes of X-ray radiation that enable exploring materials on the ultimate quantum level of moving atoms and electrons. The Ångström Laser will be a discovery machine for new materials and novel sustainable technologies. Conceptual Design Report can be downloaded via the link on the left in the menu.
Fig. 1: Artistic illustration of the Ångström Laser based on a superconducting electron accelerator and an optical undulator.
The Ångström Laser is a unique medium-scale X-ray facility that fills the capability gap between synchrotrons, X-ray Free Electron Lasers and High-Harmonic Generation sources (HHG), Fig. 2.
Fig. 2: Pulsed X-ray facilities around the world with the MAX IV synchrotron and the proposed soft X-ray free electron laser project in Sweden. Also shown are high-harmonic generation (HHG) laser sources. The Ångström Laser just exactly fills the gap. The grey line roughly indicates the space-charge limit, above which charge blurring of photoelectron lines limits information content in photoelectron spectroscopy experiments.
Projected X-ray parameters of the Ångström Laser at the end of the optical undulator source, at the sample position in the broadband X-ray beamline branch and at the sample position in the monochromatic beamline are summarized below.
