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| DESY VUV-FEL | |
|---|---|
| Name | VUV-FEL (DESY) |
| Established | 2005 |
| Location | Hamburg |
| Type | Free-electron laser |
| Affiliation | Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron |
DESY VUV-FEL
The VUV-FEL at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron was a vacuum ultraviolet free-electron laser facility operated at the DESY site in Hamburg. It delivered short-wavelength, high-brightness pulses used by research groups from Max Planck Society, Helmholtz Association, European XFEL, and universities such as University of Hamburg and Technische Universität Dresden. The project connected to broader initiatives including FLASH (free-electron laser), TESLA Test Facility, and international collaborations with institutions like CERN, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and Brookhaven National Laboratory.
The VUV-FEL provided coherent radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet and soft X-ray regime for experiments in surface science, molecular physics, and ultrafast chemistry. It complemented other sources such as FLASH (free-electron laser), European XFEL, and synchrotron facilities like PETRA III and ESRF. The facility integrated accelerator technologies developed at DESY with electron injector concepts pioneered at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and undulator designs influenced by efforts at BESSY II and SOLEIL.
Conceived within DESY strategic plans in the late 1990s, the VUV-FEL emerged from precursors including the TESLA Test Facility and the TESLA proposal. Key personalities and groups from DESY, the Hermann von Helmholtz Centre, and collaborating universities shaped the timeline alongside input from international laboratories such as SLAC, CERN, and Argonne National Laboratory. Commissioning phases coincided with milestones at FLASH (free-electron laser) and the commissioning of European XFEL. Funding and oversight involved the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany), state authorities in Hamburg, and partners like the Max Planck Society.
The VUV-FEL's design centered on a high-brightness electron linac, magnetic bunch compressors, and planar undulators. The accelerator used superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) modules derived from TESLA, electron guns informed by work at DESY and Fermilab, and diagnostics developed in collaboration with SLAC and KEK. Undulator systems resembled designs from SPring-8 and BESSY II, enabling wavelengths spanning the vacuum ultraviolet. Beam transport and control systems incorporated technologies shared with PETRA III and European XFEL, and the vacuum systems leveraged experience from CERN accelerators.
Beamtime allocation and user access followed models used at European XFEL and synchrotron sources such as Diamond Light Source and SOLEIL. Experimental stations hosted endstations for photoelectron spectroscopy influenced by groups from Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, MPI for Solid State Research, and research teams affiliated with University of Oxford and Imperial College London. Control room operations employed software and control frameworks similar to those at CERN and SLAC, with personnel trained in collaboration with DESY and partner laboratories.
Research at the VUV-FEL encompassed ultrafast dynamics studies of graphene samples, time-resolved studies of photosystem II proteins examined by groups at Max Planck Society, and investigations into surface reactions relevant to catalysis studied by teams from Technische Universität München and ETH Zurich. Experiments connected closely to topics pursued at LCLS, FLASH (free-electron laser), and European XFEL, enabling cross-facility comparisons in research on fullerenes, metal-organic frameworks, and transient states in chemical reactions. Collaborating groups included investigators from Stanford University, Princeton University, University of California, Berkeley, and Yale University.
Technological lessons from the VUV-FEL informed upgrades at FLASH (free-electron laser), the design of European XFEL, and proposals like X-FEL II and energy recovery linac concepts promoted by Cornell University and Daresbury Laboratory. Component developments influenced undulator innovation at BESSY II and injector improvements at FERMI (Elettra) and ELI. International initiatives including collaborations with ITER and instrumentation synergies with ESS benefited from the expertise developed during VUV-FEL operation.
Safety protocols at the VUV-FEL adhered to standards established within DESY and comparable practices at CERN, SLAC, and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Radiation protection, cryogenics safety, and hazardous material handling followed regulations overseen by regional authorities in Hamburg and federal agencies like the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Germany). Environmental monitoring coordinated with local stakeholders and institutions including University of Hamburg and public agencies to mitigate impacts on surrounding areas.
Category:Free-electron lasers Category:Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron facilities