Harnessing the Power of Micro-Bunching: A New Frontier in Synchrotron Radiation

A new technique shortens electron bunches in storage rings to produce more powerful, coherent synchrotron radiation, akin to high-power lasers. This method has been successfully tested, marking progress toward a novel type of radiation source that could have significant impacts on materials research.

An international team presents the functional principle of a new source of synchrotron radiation in Nature Communications Physics. Steady-state microbunching (SSMB) enables the building efficient and powerful radiation sources for coherent UV radiation in the future. This is very attractive for applications in basic research as well in the semiconductor industry.