Optics and beamlines for high-pressure research at the european synchrotron radiation facility

Abstract

The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) is the first high-energy, high-brilliance synchrotron radiation source in operation today and it is ideally suited to high pressure research. White-beam and monochromatic diffraction techniques are being optimized in particular for structural studies of low-Z materials and poor scatterers generally, the best example being hydrogen single crystals at very high pressures. Most high pressure measurements are carried out on a versatile beamline equipped with a wiggler and an undulator. Focusing and image plates are used in all monochromatic angle-dispersive studies. The success of the high pressure programme has so far been achieved on a non-optimized beamline, but the next phase of the programme needs an optimized facility. A beamline is being constructed to fully exploit the intrinsic qualities of this unique source and insertion devices for high pressure studies. Its main design concepts are presented.