Application

• Upgrades to the DoE’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory for the Linac Coherent Light Source's X-ray free-electron laser (LCLS-II) to further push the capabilities of X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs)

Problem

• Pushing LCLS-II's boundaries would take new, highly specialized X-ray optics, notably mirrors and diffraction gratings
• To achieve the required level of precision, the surfaces of meter-sized mirrors – whether flat or curved – must be as smooth and as perfect as possible, even down to the atomic scale
• "There are now only two vendors in the world that make these, and those are in other countries"

Inrad Optics' Solution

• Collaboration with American Physics Technology and other innovative suppliers to create ultra-precise surfaces utilizing gas cluster ion beam technology
• Iterative process involved bombarding mirror surfaces with intense, focused beams of gas cluster ion beams; thereby perfecting the surface through the many overlapping impacts of the clusters in the beam

Partnership Highlights

• Collaborations not only broaden SLAC’s research and engineering brainpower, but also create a more reliable sources for products and materials required for research
• "Having a relationship with these companies offers a fresh perspective on how things are done. It's a peek into another world, which has the potential to increase curiosity and spur innovation"