Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

A MHz-repetition-rate hard X-ray free-electron laser driven by a superconducting linear accelerator

An Author Correction to this article was published on 27 July 2020

This article has been updated

Abstract

The European XFEL is a hard X-ray free-electron laser (FEL) based on a high-electron-energy superconducting linear accelerator. The superconducting technology allows for the acceleration of many electron bunches within one radio-frequency pulse of the accelerating voltage and, in turn, for the generation of a large number of hard X-ray pulses. We report on the performance of the European XFEL accelerator with up to 5,000 electron bunches per second and demonstrating a full energy of 17.5 GeV. Feedback mechanisms enable stabilization of the electron beam delivery at the FEL undulator in space and time. The measured FEL gain curve at 9.3 keV is in good agreement with predictions for saturated FEL radiation. Hard X-ray lasing was achieved between 7 keV and 14 keV with pulse energies of up to 2.0 mJ. Using the high repetition rate, an FEL beam with 6 W average power was created.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Fig. 1: Bird’s-eye view of the facility showing the location of the tunnel buildings in the urban area of the city of Hamburg.

European XFEL / Luftaufnahmen: FHH, Landesbetrieb Geoinf. und Vermessung

Fig. 2: View along the almost 1-km-long superconducting linac section L3, which accelerates the beam after the last bunch compression stage from 2.5GeV up to 17.5GeV.

DESY / Dirk Nölle

Fig. 3: Schematic layout of the European XFEL accelerator and photon beam transport.
Fig. 4: View of the undulator installation in the tunnel.

European XFEL / Heiner Müller-Elsner

Fig. 5: Integrated FEL pulse energy as a function of undulator magnetic length.
Fig. 6: SASE spectrum measured by the HiREX single-shot spectrometer.
Fig. 7: SASE FEL pulse energy measured for each X-ray pulse of a train of 500 bunches.

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data that support the plots within this paper and other findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Change history

References

  1. Emma, P. et al. First lasing and operation of an ångstrom-wavelength free-electron laser. Nat. Photon. 4, 641–647 (2010).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ishikawa, T. et al. A compact X-ray free-electron laser emitting in the sub-ångström region. Nat. Photon. 6, 540–544 (2012).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Kang, H.-S. et al. Hard X-ray free-electron laser with femtosecond-scale timing jitter. Nat. Photon. 11, 708–713 (2017).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Altarelli, M., Reinhard, B. & Chergui, M. The European X-Ray Free-Electron Laser. Technical Design Report DESY 2006-097 (DESY, 2007).

  5. Ganter, R. (ed.) SwissFEL Conceptual Design Report, No. 10-04 (Paul Scherrer Institut, 2010).

  6. Huang, Z. & Kim, K. J. Review of X-ray free-electron laser theory. Phys. Rev. Spec. Top. Accel. Beams 10, 034801 (2007).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Pellegrini, C. The history of X-ray free-electron lasers. Eur. Phys. J. H 37, 659–708 (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rossbach, J., Schneider, J. R. & Wurth, W. 10 years of pioneering X-ray science at the free-electron laser FLASH at DESY. Phys. Rep. 808, 1–74 (2019).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kondratenko, A. M. & Saldin, E. L. Generation of coherent radiation by a relativistic electron beam in an undulator. Part. Accel. 10, 207–216 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Derbenev, Y. S., Kondratenko, A. M. & Saldin, E. L. On the possibility of using a free electron laser for polarization of electrons in storage rings. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. 193, 415–421 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Murphy, J. B. & Pellegrini, C. Free electron lasers for the XUV spectral region. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A 237, 159–167 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bonifacio, R., Casagrande, F. & De Salvo Souza, L. Collective variable description of a free-electron laser. Phys. Rev. A 33, 2836–2839 (1986).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Hogan, M. J. et al. Measurements of gain larger than 105 at 12 µm in a self-amplified spontaneous-emission free-electron laser. Phys. Rev. Lett. 81, 4867–4870 (1998).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Milton, S. V. et al. Exponential gain and saturation of a self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser. Science 292, 2037–2041 (2000).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Andruszkow, J. et al. First observation of self-amplified spontaneous emission in a free electron laser at 109 nm wavelength. Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3825–3829 (2000).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Ackermann, W. et al. Operation of a free-electron laser from the extreme ultraviolet to the water window. Nat. Photon. 1, 336–342 (2007).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Brinkmann, R. et al. (ed.) TESLA Technical Design Report—Part II: The Accelerator, DESY 2001-011 (DESY, 2001).

  18. Brinkmann, R. et al. (ed.) TESLA XFEL Technical Design Report, DESY 2002-167 (DESY, 2002).

  19. Grünbein, M. L. et al. Megahertz data collection from protein microcrystals at an X-ray free-electron laser. Nat. Commun. 9, 3487 (2018).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. Wiedorn, M. O. et al. Megahertz serial crystallography. Nat. Commun. 9, 4025 (2018).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Bonifacio, R., Pellegrini, C. & Narducci, L. M. Collective instabilities and high-gain regime in a free electron laser. Opt. Commun. 50, 373–378 (1984).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Saldin, E. L., Schneidmiller, E. A. & Yurkov, M. V. The Physics of Free Electron Lasers (Springer, 1999).

  23. Bonifacio, R. et al. Spectrum, temporal structure and fluctuations in a high-gain free-electron laser starting from noise. Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 70–73 (1994).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Galayda, J. The LCLS-II: a high power upgrade to the LCLS. In Proceedings of the 9th International Particle Accelerator Conference 18–23 (JACoW Publishing, 2018).

  25. Zhu, Z. Y. et al. SCLF: an 8-GeV CW SCRF linac-based X-ray FEL facility in Shanghai. In Proceedings of the 38th International Free Electron Laser Conference 182–184 (JACoW Publishing, 2017).

  26. Decking, W. & Limberg, T. European XFEL Post-TDR Description, XFEL.EU TN-2013-004-01 (European XFEL, 2013).

  27. Feng, G. et al. Beam Dynamics Simulations for European XFEL, TESLA-FEL 2013-01 (DESY, 2013).

  28. Dwersteg, B., Flöttmann, K., Sektuowicz, J. & Stolzenburg, C. RF gun design for the TESLA VUV free electron laser. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Rec. A 393, 93–95 (1997).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Vashenko, G. et al. Emittance measurements of the electron beam at PITZ for the commissioning phase of the European XFEL. In Proceedings of the 37th International Free Electron Laser Conference 285–288 (JACoW Publishing, 2015).

  30. Maiano, C. et al. Commissioning and operation experience of the 3.9 GHz system in the EXFEL Linac. In Proceedings of the 8th International Particle Accelerator Conference 999–1002 (JACoW Publishing, 2017).

  31. Hamberg, M., Brinker, F. & Scholz, M. Commissioning and first heating with the European XFEL laser heater. In Proceedings of the 8th International Particle Accelerator Conference 2625–2627 (JACoW Publishing, 2017).

  32. Yan, M. & Gerth, C. Single-bunch longitudinal phase spaces diagnostics in multi-bunch mode at the European XFEL. In Proceedings of the 4th International Particle Accelerator Conference 494–496 (JACoW Publishing, 2013).

  33. Brinker, F. Commissioning of the European XFEL Injector. In Proceedings of the 7th International Particle Accelerator Conference 1044–1047 (JACoW Publishing, 2016).

  34. Balandin, V., Brinkmann, R., Decking, W. & Golubeva, N. Post-linac collimation system for the European XFEL. In Proceedings of the 23rd Particle Accelerator Conference 3763–3765 (JACoW Publishing, 2009).

  35. Decking, W. & Obier, F. Layout of the beam switchyard at the European XFEL. In Proceedings of the 11th European Particle Accelerator Conference 2163–2165 (EPAC, 2008).

  36. Branlard, J. et al. European XFEL RF gun commissioning and LLRF Linac installation. In Proceedings of the 5th International Particle Accelerator Conference 2427–2429 (JACoW, 2014).

  37. Reschke, D. et al. Performance in the vertical test of the 832 nine-cell 1.3 GHz cavities for the European X-ray free electron laser. Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 20, 042004 (2017).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Omet, M. et al. LLRF operation and performance at the European XFEL. In Proceedings of the 9th International Particle Accelerator Conference 1934–1936 (JACoW, 2018).

  39. Löhl, F. et al. Electron bunch timing with femtosecond precision in a superconducting free-electron laser. Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 144801 (2010).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  40. Li, Y. et al. Magnetic measurement techniques for the large-scale production of undulator segments for the European XFEL. Synchrotron Radiat. News 28, 23–28 (2015).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Li, Y. & Pflueger, J. Phase matching strategy for the undulator system in the European X-ray free electron laser. Phys. Rev. Accel. Beams 20, 020702 (2017).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Lu, H. H., Li, Y. & Pflueger, J. The permanent magnet phase shifter for the European X-ray free electron laser. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Rec. A 605, 399–408 (2009).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  43. Li, Y. & Pflueger, J. Tuning method for phase shifters with very low first field integral errors for the European X-ray free electron laser. Phys. Rev. Spec. Top. Accel. Beams 18, 030703 (2015).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  44. Yakopov, M. et al. Automation of the magnetic field measurements of the air coils by means of the moving wire system. In Proceedings of the 11th International Workshop on Personal Computers and Particle Accelerator Controls 114–116 (JACoW Publishing, 2016).

  45. Wolff-Fabris, F., Viehweger, M., Li, Y. & Pflüger, J. High accuracy measurements of magnetic field integrals for the European XFEL undulator systems. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Rec. A 833, 54–60 (2016).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Decking, W. & Weise, H. Commissioning of the European XFEL accelerator. In Proceedings of the 8th International Particle Accelerator Conference 1–6 (JACoW, 2017).

  47. Emma, P., Carr, R. & Nuhn, H. D. Beam-based alignment for the LCLS FEL undulator. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Rec. A 429, 407–413 (1999).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Tschentscher, T. et al. Photon beam transport and scientific instruments at the European XFEL. Appl. Sci 7, 592 (2017).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Grünert, J. et al. X-ray photon diagnostics devices for the European XFEL. Proc. SPIE 8504, 85040R (2012).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Grünert, J. et al. First photon diagnostics commissioning at the European XFEL. AIP Conf. Proc. 2054, 030014 (2018).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Schneidmiller, E. A. & Yurkov, M. V. Photon Beam Properties at the European XFEL (December 2010 revision), preprint DESY 11-152 (DESY, 2011).

  52. Schneidmiller, E. A. & Yurkov, M. V. Coherence properties of the radiation from FLASH. J. Mod. Opt. 63, 293–308 (2016).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  53. Grünert, J. et al. Photon diagnostics and photon beamline installations at the European XFEL. In Proceedings of the 37th International Free Electron Laser Conference 764–768 (JACoW Publishing, 2015).

  54. Keil, B. et al. Status of the European XFEL transverse intra bunch train feedback system. In Proceedings of the 4th International Beam Instrumentation Conference 492–496 (JACoW Publishing, 2015).

Download references

Acknowledgements

The accelerator of the European XFEL and major parts of the infrastructure have been contributed by the Accelerator Construction Consortium, coordinated by DESY. The consortium consists of Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique – Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules (CNRS–IN2P3, Orsay, France), Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives – Institut de Recherche sur les Lois Fondamentales de l’Univers (CEA–IRFU, Saclay, France), DESY (Hamburg, Germany), Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare – Laboratori Acceleratori e Superconduttività Applicata (INFN–LASA, Milano, Italy), National Centre for Nuclear Research (NCBJ, Świerk, Poland), Wrocław University of Technology (WUT, Wrocław, Poland), The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute for Nuclear Physics – Polish Academy of Science (IFJ–PAN, Kraków, Poland), Institute for High Energy Physics (IHEP, Protvino, Russia), D.V. Efremov Scientific Research Institute of Electrophysical Apparatus (NIIEFA, St. Petersburg, Russia), Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics – Siberian Branch of Academy of Science (BINP, Novosibirsk, Russia), Institute for Nuclear Research – Russian Academy of Science (INR, Moscow, Russia), Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM, Madrid, Spain), Stockholm University (SU, Stockholm, Sweden), Uppsala University (UU, Uppsala, Sweden) and Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI, Villigen, Switzerland). A list of members of the Accelerator Construction Consortium is provided in the Supplementary Information.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

All authors have contributed to the design and construction of the European XFEL. W.D. wrote the manuscript draft with input from M. Yurkov., T. Tschentscher, J. Pflüger and J. Grünert. The experiments were performed by K. Appel, B. Beutner, U.B., J.B., F. Brinker, W.D., M. Dommach, W.F., L.F., G. Geloni, N. Ge., C.G., J. Grünert, M. Ilchen, M. Izquierdo, R. Ka., S. Karabekyan, A. Koch, Z.K., N. Kujala, D.L.C., Y.L., T. Limberg, D. Lipka, S. Liu, T. Maltezopoulos, M. Messerschmidt, D.N., M. Omet, I.P., L. Samoylova, D. Sanzone, E. Schneidmiller, M. Scholz, S.S., M. Sikorski, H. Sinn, S.T., T. Wamsat and P.Z.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to W. Decking.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary information

Supplementary Information

List of members of the Accelerator Construction Consortium.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Decking, W., Abeghyan, S., Abramian, P. et al. A MHz-repetition-rate hard X-ray free-electron laser driven by a superconducting linear accelerator. Nat. Photonics 14, 391–397 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-020-0607-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41566-020-0607-z

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing