X-ray Free-electron Laser Project Research Articles

Fixed-target pump-probe SFX: eliminating the scourge of light contamination.

X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) light sources have enabled the rapid growth of time-resolved structural experiments, which provide crucial information on the function of macromolecules and their mechanisms. Here, the aim was to commission the SwissMX fixed-target sample-delivery system at the SwissFEL Cristallina experimental station using the PSI-developed micro-structured polymer (MISP) chip for pump-probe time-resolved experiments. To characterize the system, crystals of the light-sensitive protein light-oxygen-voltage domain 1 (LOV1) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were used. Using different experimental settings, the accidental illumination, referred to as light contamination, of crystals mounted in wells adjacent to those illuminated by the pump laser was examined. It was crucial to control the light scattering from and through the solid supports otherwise significant contamination occurred. However, the results here show that the opaque MISP chips are suitable for defined pump-probe studies of a light-sensitive protein. The experiment also probed the sub-millisecond structural dynamics of LOV1 and indicated that at Δt = 10 µs a covalent thioether bond is established between reactive Cys57 and its flavin mononucleotide cofactor. This experiment validates the crystals to be suitable for in-depth follow-up studies of this still poorly understood signal-transduction mechanism. Importantly, the fixed-target delivery system also permitted a tenfold reduction in protein sample consumption compared with the more common high-viscosity extrusion-based delivery system. This development creates the prospect of an increase in XFEL project throughput for the field.

Six years’ experience of the XFEL 2K operation

The European X-Ray Free Electron laser (XFEL) has successfully been operated for more than 5 years. The superconducting cavities and magnets being key components of the cryomodules constituting the XFEL linac and injector are operated at 2 K in a liquid helium bath. A four stages cold compressor system is used to return the vapor to the XFEL helium refrigerator with the capability of pumping up to 110 g/s for compensating static and dynamic heat losses at 2 K.In this paper technical challenges with regard to the cold compressor system such as availability, 2K pressure stability and contamination of the 2K circuit are summarized. Influence of hydrostatic head on operation of all cooling circuits is analyzed. Issues related to the use of some kinds of instrumentation as pressure transmitters, flow meters and level sensors are discussed. The experiment regarding the future XFEL project as doubling of safety valves is described.

Phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation free-electron laser with a normal modulator.

A phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation free-electron laser (FEL) was proposed to increase the harmonic conversion efficiency of seeded FELs and promote the radiation wavelength towards the X-ray spectral region. However, this requires a specially designed transverse gradient undulator (TGU) as the modulator to couple the transverse and longitudinal phase space of the electron beam. In this paper, the generation of the phase-merging effect is explored using the natural field gradient of a normal planar undulator. In this method, a vertical dispersion on the electron beam is introduced and then the dispersed beam travels through a normal modulator in a vertical off-axis orbit where the vertical field gradient is selected properly in terms of the vertical dispersion strength and modulation amplitude. The phase-merging effect will be generated after passing through the dispersive chicane. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations for a seeded soft X-ray FEL based on parameters of the Shanghai Soft X-ray FEL project are presented. Compared with a TGU modulator, using the natural gradient of a normal planar modulator has the distinct advantage that the gradient can be conveniently tuned in quite a large range by adjusting the beam orbit offset.

Performance in the vertical test of the 832 nine-cell 1.3 GHz cavities for the European X-ray Free Electron Laser

Comprehensive description of the fabrication, surface treatment, and performance of all superconducting cavities for the European X-ray Free Electron Laser project.

Design of a hard X-ray beamline and end-station for pump and probe experiments at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free Electron Laser facility

The Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free Electron Laser project, a new worldwide-user facility to deliver ultrashort, laser-like x-ray photon pulses, will begin user operation in 2017 after one year of commissioning. Initially, it will provide two beamlines for hard and soft x-rays, respectively, and two experimental end-stations for the hard x-ray beamline will be constructed by the end of 2015. This article introduces one of the two hard x-ray end-stations, which is for hard x-ray pump-probe experiments, and primarily outlines the overall design of this end-station and its critical components. The content of this article will provide useful guidelines for the planning of experiments conducted at the new facility.

Design of the control system for the cryogenic distribution system of the European XFEL project

In order to produce pulsed electron beam with the energy of 17.5 GeV, the European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) linear accelerator is under construction. The XFEL accelerator will contain the linear accelerator (linac) and the injector. The XFEL cryogenic distribution system supplies the linac and the injector with cooling helium. The cryogenic supply of the linac is separated in parallel cryogenic sections called ‘strings’.Operation of the XFEL cryogenic distribution system is under the process control system for Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS). A complementary component of EPICS is the Open Source software suit CSS (Control System Studio) providing an integrated engineering, maintenance and operating tools for EPICS as well as human machine interface. Cryogenic instrumentation used for operation and diagnostic is connected to PROFIBUS. More than 300 PROFIBUS nodes control the XFEL cryogenic system. DESY introduced the monitoring system based on Field Device Tool (FDT). FDT framework contains Data Tool Management (DTM) applications to examine the correct installation and configuration of all PROFIBUS nodes in real time.This paper describes the control system for the XFEL cryogenic distribution system including all steps from engineering to the pre-service tests.

Timing and Triggering System Prototype for the XFEL Project

The European X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) [1] at DESY in Hamburg will begin operating in the next few years, enabling new, ground-breaking research opportunities. The entire system requires very precise clock and trigger distribution, synchronous with the 1.3 GHz system RF-frequency, over distances of more than 3.4 km. The new experiment demanded features that other commercial solutions could not yet provide. Researchers at Stockholm University and DESY have developed a prototype for the timing system of XFEL. It has been decided that XFEL will use modern ATCA and Micro-TCA systems because of their advanced features and reliability. The timing system has been adapted to the Micro-TCA bus standard and also follows the new upcoming xTCA for physics standard. The prototype is fully functional and complete. It will serve as a platform for future development of the whole timing system. This paper describes the hardware design and some test results using the prototype board.

Evaluation of Magnetic Forces in Permanent Magnets

The numerical evaluation of magnetic forces exerted by permanent magnets is usually performed by two methods, the integration of the Maxwell stress tensor or by means of virtual displacements and energy balance. In this paper, we will review previous works on this subject, where controversy exists due to the sign of the magnetic energy stored in the magnet itself. We will check the theoretical work in the matter with numerical results from a number of FEM codes, as Ansys, Opera and Quickfield. Several examples of application will be provided. One of those will be the particular case of a phase shifter under development for the XFEL (European X-Ray Free Electron Laser) project. Its purpose is to adjust the phase between two consecutive undulator segments. The magnetic field is obtained in this device through a Halbach hybrid configuration with Nd-Fe-B permanent magnets and Fe-Co poles.

Measurements and Simulations of Ultralow Emittance and Ultrashort Electron Beams in the Linac Coherent Light Source

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is an x-ray free-electron laser project presently in a commissioning phase at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. We report here on very low-emittance measurements made at low bunch charge, and a few femtosecond bunch length produced by the LCLS bunch compressors. Start-to-end simulations associated with these beam parameters show the possibilities of generating hundreds of GW at 1.5 A x-ray wavelength and nearly a single longitudinally coherent spike at 1.5 nm with 2-fs duration.

RobustCsBr/Cuphotocathodes for the linac coherent light source

The linac coherent light source (LCLS), an x-ray free-electron laser project presently under construction at SLAC, uses a 2.856 GHz rf photocathode gun with a copper cathode for its electron source. While the copper cathode is performing well for the LCLS project, a cathode material with higher quantum efficiency would reduce the drive laser requirements and allow a greater range of operating conditions. Therefore a robust CsBr/Cu photocathode with greater than 50 times the quantum yield at 257 nm relative to the present LCLS copper cathode has been investigated. Preliminary experiments using a dedicated electron source development test stand at SLAC/SSRL are encouraging and are presented in this paper.

A major step for an X-ray free-electron laser project in Europe

A major step for an X-ray free-electron laser project in Europe