Overview of the SACLA facility

Area of Science:

• Physical Sciences
• Materials Science
• Chemistry

Background:

• The SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser (SACLA) facility commenced user operations in March 2012.
• SACLA is a compact X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facility providing stable XFEL light.
• It covers a wide photon energy range (4-15 keV) with ultrafast pulse durations (<10 fs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key scientific results achieved at SACLA in 2013 and 2014.
• To summarize the main experimental systems developed for these applications.
• To present a perspective on future facility upgrades.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a compact X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facility.
• Employing high-quality X-ray optics and diagnostics.
• Implementing a two-stage X-ray focusing system to achieve high intensities (10^20 W/cm^2).

Main Results:

• Routine provision of stable XFEL light across a broad energy spectrum.
• Support for diverse experimental activities through flexible configurations and reliable detectors.
• Generation of high-intensity X-ray beams crucial for advanced research.

Conclusions:

• SACLA has successfully supported a wide range of scientific research since its inception.
• The facility's advanced capabilities enable cutting-edge experiments and discoveries.
• Ongoing development and upgrades promise further advancements in XFEL applications.