Construction of a vertical undulator at SPring-8

Area of Science:

• X-ray science
• Synchrotron radiation technology
• Structural biology

Background:

• SPring-8's structural biology beamline (BL45XU) required an advanced insertion device.
• Existing devices may not meet the need for specific polarization and energy control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To construct and characterize a new-type insertion device for BL45XU.
• To enable the generation of vertically polarized radiation with tunable photon energies.

Main Methods:

• Construction of a novel insertion device comprising two independently tunable undulators.
• Detailed magnetic field measurements to verify performance.

Main Results:

• The new insertion device successfully provides vertically polarized radiation.
• Independent gap control of the two undulators allows for obtaining photons of two different energies.
• Magnetic field measurements confirmed a maximum horizontal field of 0.49 T, meeting design expectations.

Conclusions:

• The new insertion device is successfully implemented at BL45XU.
• The device's capability for generating tunable, vertically polarized radiation enhances its utility for structural biology research.
• The achieved magnetic performance validates the design and construction.