US DOE Successfully Deploys LCLS-II, Helium Cooled X-ray Laser
- Sep 21, 2023
- 3 min read
The US Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has successfully deployed the upgraded Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL), known as the LCLS-II, at an estimated cost of US$1.1 mm. The X-ray laser is a million times faster than its predecessor, emitting a million X-ray flashes per second. The LCLS-II's superconducting accelerator, cooled with helium to near absolute zero temperatures, allows for a significantly higher number of X-ray bursts. Helium demand could considerably increase when the LCLS-II is put in commercial production.