Tantalus, the First Dedicated Synchrotron Radiation Source

Abstract

Tantalus began as a 240 MeV electron storage ring that served as a testbed for the next-generation accelerator (which eventually would become Fermilab) [1, 2]. It was to be injected from the 40 MeV FFAG synchrotron that was already operating. Before its completion, funding from the AEC was discontinued. During the time it was in financial limbo, a report from an NAS study group suggested using Tantalus as a source of VUV synchrotron radiation for spectroscopy and possibly other techniques. The AFOSR eventually funded the completion and early use of Tantalus.