European Synchrotron Radiation Facility

Abstract

European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) is the first representant of a new (the third) generation of synchrotron radiation sources delivering high brilliance radiation in the hard X-rays. The first generation sources were initially built as part of high-energy physics programs and used as synchrotron radiation sources in a parasitic mode. Some are still used this way, some are operated for both programs in a time-sharing mode while others have been totally converted into dedicated synchrotron radiation sources. The second generation sources are those which were exclusively designed as dedicated synchrotron radiation sources. They have emittances in the range of 100 nm rad. The main radiation sources are bending magnets, a few insertion devices may have been added. The third generation sources finally have a lower emittance (< 20 nm rad) and many long straight sections for a maximum of insertion devices. In the following we give a short review of the hisory of the ESRF: