Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is a free-electron laser (FEL) facility at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The LCLS is the world’s first hard X-ray FEL operating in the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray regimes.
The facility produces extremely bright, intense pulses of coherent x-rays that are used to probe the structure and behavior of matter on the atomic scale. These powerful x-ray beams allow scientists to study materials that cannot be studied using traditional methods, such as those that are too small, too fast, or too complex.
In addition to its scientific uses, the LCLS is also being developed as a tool for industrial applications. For example, the LCLS can be used to create 3D images of objects with nanometer resolution, which could have applications in semiconductor manufacturing and medical imaging.
The LCLS was designed and built by a team of international scientists and engineers from more than 60 institutions in eight countries. It began operations in 2009 and has since been used by thousands of scientists from around the world.