A compact tool for coaxial laser alignment on a time-sharing beamline at Taiwan Light Source

Area of Science:

• Synchrotron radiation science
• Beamline instrumentation
• Particle accelerator technology

Background:

• Time-sharing undulator beamlines require precise alignment for efficient operation.
• Switching between beamlines can lead to significant downtime for end-station alignment.
• Developing and diagnosing beamlines often consumes valuable synchrotron beam time.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple and easily installed alignment tool for time-sharing undulator beamlines.
• To reduce the time required for end-station alignment after beamline switching.
• To enable beamline diagnosis and end-station development prior to synchrotron beam allocation.

Main Methods:

• A novel alignment tool was designed for easy installation within the vacuum chamber.
• A laser beam is directed via a beam splitter to mimic the synchrotron beam path.
• The laser beam provides a 90° reference along the synchrotron beam path.

Main Results:

• The developed tool significantly abbreviates the alignment process for end-stations.
• End-station alignment is streamlined after beamline switching.
• Beamline diagnosis and end-station development can be performed before scheduled synchrotron beam time.

Conclusions:

• The alignment tool offers a practical solution for optimizing the use of time-sharing undulator beamlines.
• This innovation enhances experimental efficiency by reducing setup and preparation time.
• The tool facilitates independent beamline and end-station development, maximizing synchrotron facility productivity.