SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California has unveiled the world’s most powerful X-ray laser, promising a “new era” of scientific discovery. Known as the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) II, this laser is capable of producing up to a million X-ray flashes per second – a significant advancement from its predecessor, the original LCLS laser. With a beam of highly energetic light that is 10,000 times brighter than before, this laser can capture processes in unprecedented detail at the atomic scale, potentially leading to groundbreaking research in various fields.
The potential applications of this high-powered X-ray laser are vast. Scientists envision studying quantum events at a higher resolution than ever before, delving into chemical processes that occur in an incredibly short span of time, and exploring phenomena ranging from solar panel reactions to cellular structures to new types of drugs.
Operated by Stanford University for the US Department of Energy, the LCLS II is the result of over a decade of development and an investment of more than a billion dollars. Its “first light” announcement has generated excitement within the scientific community, with US Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm emphasizing the laser’s ability to shed light on the smallest and fastest phenomena, contributing to advancements in human health and quantum materials science.
The LCLS II is an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL), which involves propelling free electrons towards light speed velocities to generate super-bright and rapid flashes of light at extremely short wavelengths. Accompanying this laser technology is a superconducting accelerator and an array of cryogenic modules operating at ultra-low temperatures to minimize energy loss in the acceleration process. Additionally, the laser features two undulators – low energy and high energy – responsible for producing the X-ray light from the accelerated electrons.
XFELs, such as the LCLS II, are rare and have already played a significant role in advancing our understanding of cosmic weather and photosynthesis. However, the capabilities of this new laser surpass its predecessors, enabling it to capture molecular movements and interactions at the scale of electrons, an attosecond timescale. This breakthrough technology will have implications for a wide range of scientific disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and materials science.
The LCLS II is set to commence experiments in the coming weeks and months, attracting researchers from across the globe. LCLS Director Mike Dunne anticipates that the launch of this powerful X-ray laser will unlock countless new discoveries and shape the future of scientific research. As boundaries are pushed and new frontiers are explored, the world can anticipate groundbreaking insights that will reshape our understanding of the natural world.