SwissFEL Maloja Experimental Station

The Maloja endstation is located at the soft X-ray branch Athos of SwissFEL and is dedicated to atomic, molecular and non-linear X-ray physics and chemical dynamics. It will take direct advantage of the novel X-ray beam modes from the Athos branch at SwissFEL. With the highly flexible Maloja endstation, we will be able to trace electronic structure changes and nuclear rearrangement on their natural time scales of femtoseconds to attoseconds, to exploit the state selectivity of X-rays for spatial resolution, and to explore novel opportunities in nonlinear X-ray spectroscopy and single-shot imaging. Maloja will enable innovative research on the ultrafast dynamics of gas-phase atoms, molecules, and clusters as well as liquids and nanoparticles.

 

Projected X-ray parameters  
Photon energy range 250 - 1800 eV (full Athos range)
Pulse duration sub-fs to 100 fs
Bandwidth 0.02 - 10 % (SASE pulses)
Focus Adaptable KB system, smallest focus expected 1 μm x 1 μm (FWHM)

Sample delivery systems

 
  Room temperature and heated supersonic gas jet with pulsed valves
  Gas needle
  Microfluidic liquid jet
  Aerosol injector
Spectrometers and detectors  
  Hemispherical electron analyzer
  Ion-Time-of-Flight spectrometer
  Photon spectrometer
  Ion momentum spectrometer (planned)
  Jungfrau 4M detector (planned)
Optical laser system  
Fundamental wavelength 800 nm
Pulse energy fundamental 20 mJ
Pulse duration fundamental 35 fs
Other wavelengths 2nd (400 nm) and 3rd (266 nm) harmonic of fundamental
Within the last year the Maloja endstation transformed from a construction site into an experimental area.

Maloja is designed as a highly flexible endstation covering a wide range of experimental techniques, including electron and ion spectrometers as well as large-area detectors for ultrafast imaging. The endstation consists of four interaction points that can each accommodate the various spectrometers and sample delivery systems. The best X-ray focus of an estimated 1 micrometer (FWHM) will be achieved in the first interaction point closest to the KB mirrors.

Overview of experimental techniques planned to be implemented into the Maloja endstation.
First light at Maloja endstation

First light in the SwissFEL Maloja endstation

The first endstation at the SwissFEL Athos soft X-ray branch is rapidly developing and on track for first experiments in 2021.