The CLF is actively supporting developments and research at X-Ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL) facilities worldwide.

DiPOLE100-X is a diode pumped, 100J Ytterbium:YAG laser, designed and built by a multi-disciplinary team within the CALTA group in the CLF. Jointly funded by STFC and EPSRC as part of an in-kind contribution, the laser has been installed and commissioned at the High Energy Density (HED) end station at the European XFEL in Germany.

Coupled with the synchronised X-ray beam line at the European XFEL, DiPOLE100-X will allow researchers to generate extreme states of matter relevant to astrophysical bodies and study exotic states of matter and novel materials.

The unique 10Hz repetition rate will permit data collection at unprecedented rates for such experiments, and allow researchers to tune their experiments at close to real time. This cutting-edge ability will be available for all users at the end-station and will be jointly supported by the CLF as part of the Helmholtz International Beamline for Extreme Fields (HIBEF) user consortium. The first collaborative user campaigns with the DiPOLE 100-X began in May 2023 and involved researchers from several UK institutions as well as a core team from the CLF. Several papers have now been published.

The CLF, via Scitech Precision Ltd, works with user groups from around the world to supply highly specialised, custom micro-targetry for cutting-edge science experiments at the European XFEL. A  high-speed tape drive developed by the CLF is currently being commissioned to enable experiments looking at shock-compressed targets, using the DiPOLE100-X laser at high-repetition rates.

The XFEL Physical Sciences Hub was a recent project operated by the CLF on behalf of STFC. Running from 2019 to 2026, the XFEL Hub supported UK academics who could benefit from using XFEL sources such as the European XFEL, but who lacked the experience and resources to overcome initial barriers to access. Funded as part of STFC’s contributions to the European XFEL, the Hub:

  • jointly funded 21 PhD studentships across a range of physical science areas
  • funded UK academics to travel to experiments and workshops at the European XFEL, enabling new collaborations between
  • institutions and routes to facility access
  • provided critical spares for the DiPOLE 100-X laser at European XFEL as it approaches a crucial transition towards being a full capability available to all users of the HED end station.