From single photons to milliwatt radiant power—electron storage rings as radiation sources with a high dynamic range

Abstract

The spectral radiant intensity of synchrotron radiation from electron storage rings can be calculated from basic electrodynamic relations (Schwinger equation) and it is directly proportional to the stored electron beam current, i.e. the number of stored electrons. With the necessary equipment installed to measure and control the electron beam current over a wide dynamic range, the radiant intensity of the synchrotron radiation can be adjusted accordingly without changing the spectrum.This is done, e.g., at the Metrology Light Source (MLS), the dedicated electron storage ring of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. The MLS is operated as a primary radiation source standard from the near IR up to the soft x-ray region and its operational parameters can be adjusted and accurately measured in a wide range: the electron beam current can be varied from 1 pA (one stored electron) up to 200 mA and thus the radiant intensity can be changed by more than 11 decades. The photon flux or radiant power for typical angular acceptances can thus be varied from single photons to milliwatts. This is a very powerful tool, e.g., for the characterization of the linearity of the response of radiation detectors or for the calibration of photon counting detectors. In this article we present an overview of past, current and possible future activities exploiting this feature.