A polycrystalline sample LuCrO3 has been characterized by neutron powder diffraction (NPD) and magnetization measurements. Its crystal structure has been Rietveld refined from NPD data in space group Pnma; this perovskite contains strongly tilted CrO6 octahedra with extremely bent Cr—O—Cr superexchange angles of ∼142°. The NPD data show that below Néel temperature (TN ≃ 131 K), the magnetic structure can be defined as an A-type antiferromagnetic arrangement of Cr3+ magnetic moments, aligned along the b axis, with a canting along the c axis. A noticeable magneto­strictive effect is observed in the unit-cell parameters and volume upon cooling down across TN. The AC magnetic susceptibility indicates the onset of magnetic ordering below 112.6 K; the magnetization isotherms below TN show a nonlinear behaviour that is associated with the described canting of the Cr3+ magnetic moments. From the Curie–Weiss law, the effective moment of the Cr3+ sublattice is found to be μeff = 3.55 μB (calculated 3.7 μB) while the ΘCW parameter yields a value of −155 K, indicating antiferromagnetic interactions. There is a conspicuous increase of TN upon the application of external pressure, which must be due to shortening of the Cr—O bond length under compression that increases the orbital overlap integral.

Magnetic materials featuring triangular arrangements of spins are frequently investigated as platforms hosting magnetic frustration. Hexagonal perovskites with ordered vacancies serve as excellent candidates for two-dimensional triangular magnetism due to the considerable separation of the magnetic planes. In this work, the effects of chemical pressure on the ferromagnetic ground state of Ba2La2NiW2O12 by substitution of Ba2+ with Sr2+ to produce Sr2La2NiW2O12 are investigated. The two materials are characterized using synchrotron-based XRD, XANES and EXAFS in addition to magnetometry in order to correlate their crystal structures and magnetic properties. Both materials form in space group R3, yet as a result of the enhanced bending of key bond angles due to the effects of chemical pressure, the TC value of the magnetic Ni2+ sublattice is reduced from ∼6 K in Ba2La2NiW2O12 to 4 K in Sr2La2NiW2O12.

Synthesis experiments were conducted in the quaternary system K2O–Na2O–CaO–SiO2, resulting in the formation of a previously unknown compound with the composition K0.72Na1.71Ca5.79Si6O19. Single crystals of sufficient size and quality were recovered from a starting mixture with a K2O:Na2O:CaO:SiO2 molar ratio of 1.5:0.5:2:3. The mixture was confined in a closed platinum tube and slowly cooled from 1150°C at a rate of 0.1°C min−1 to 700°C before being finally quenched in air. The structure has tetragonal symmetry and belongs to space group P4122 (No. 91), with a = 7.3659 (2), c = 32.2318 (18) Å, V = 1748.78 (12) Å3, and Z = 4. The silicate anion consists of highly puckered, unbranched six-membered oligomers with the composition [Si6O19] and point group symmetry 2 (C2). Although several thousands of natural and synthetic oxosilicates have been structurally characterized, this compound is the first representative of a catena-hexasilicate anion, to the best of our knowledge. Structural investigations were completed using Raman spectroscopy. The spectroscopic data was interpreted and the bands were assigned to certain vibrational species with the support of density functional theory at the HSEsol level of theory. To determine the stability properties of the novel oligosilicate compared to those of the chemically and structurally similar cyclo­silicate combeite, we calculated the electronegativity of the respective structures using the electronegativity equalization method. The results showed that the molecular electronegativity of the cyclo­silicate was significantly higher than that of the oligostructure due to the different connectivities of the oxygen atoms within the molecular units.

In recent decades, sustained theoretical and software developments have clearly established that representation analysis and magnetic symmetry groups are complementary concepts that should be used together in the investigation and description of magnetic structures. Historically, they were considered alternative approaches, but currently, magnetic space groups and magnetic superspace groups can be routinely used together with representation analysis, aided by state-of-the-art software tools. After exploring the historical antagonism between these two approaches, we emphasize the significant advancements made in understanding and formally describing magnetic structures by embracing their combined use.

Organic–inorganic hybrid crystals have diverse functionalities, for example in energy storage and luminescence, due to their versatile structures. The synthesis and structural characterization of a new cobalt–vanadium-containing compound, 2[Co(en)3]3+(V4O13)6−·4H2O (1) is presented. The crystal structure of 1, consisting of [Co(en)3]3+ complexes and chains of corner-sharing (VO4) tetrahedra, was solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the centrosymmetric space group P1. Phase purity of the bulk material was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, elemental analysis and powder X-ray diffraction. The volume expansion of 1 was found to be close to 1% in the reported temperature range from 100 to 300 K, with a volume thermal expansion coefficient of 56 (2) × 10−6 K−1. The electronic band gap of 1 is 2.30 (1) eV, and magnetic susceptibility measurements showed that the compound exhibits a weak paramagnetic response down to 1.8 K, probably due to minor CoII impurities (<1%) on the CoIII site.

The magnetic and crystal structures of manganese and nickel monoxides have been studied using high-resolution neutron diffraction. The known 1k-structures based on the single propagation vector [½ ½ ½] for the parent paramagnetic space group Fm3m are forced to have monoclinic magnetic symmetry and are not possible in rhombohedral symmetry. However, the monoclinic distortions from the rhombohedral crystal metric allowed by symmetry are very small, and the explicit monoclinic splittings of the diffraction peaks have not been experimentally observed. We analyse the magnetic crystallographic models metrically compatible with our experimental data in full detail by using isotropy subgroup representation approach, including rhombohedral solutions based on the propagation vector star {[½ ½ ½], [−½ ½ ½], [½−½ ½], [½ ½ −½]}. Although the full star rhombohedral RI3c structure can equally well fit our diffraction data for NiO, we conclude that the best solution for the crystal and magnetic structures for NiO and MnO is the 1k monoclinic model with the magnetic space group Cc2/c (Belov–Neronova–Smirnova No. 15.90, UNI symbol C2/c.1'c[C2/m]).

Thio­phosgene is one of the principal C=S building blocks in synthetic chemistry. At room temperature, thio­phosgene is a red liquid. While its properties in the liquid and gaseous states are well known, a comprehensive characterization of thio­phosgene in its solid state is presented here. Differential scanning calorimetry shows that thio­phosgene forms a supercooled melt before rapidly crystallizing. Its melting point is 231.85 K (−41.3 °C). At 80 K, thio­phosgene crystallizes in space group P63/m [No. 174, a = b = 5.9645 (2), c = 6.2835 (3) Å, V = 193.59 (2) Å3]. The molecule shows a distinct rotational disorder: all S and Cl positions are of mixed occupancy and the disorder does not resolve at temperatures as low as 10 K, as was shown by neutron powder diffraction. Infrared, Raman and inelastic neutron scattering spectra were collected and assigned with the aid of quantum chemical calculations. A larger ordered structural model allowed for better agreement between the measured and calculated spectra, further indicating that disorder is an inherent feature of solid-state thio­phosgene.

JANA2020 is a program developed for the solution and refinement of regular, twinned, modulated, and composite crystal structures. In addition, JANA2020 also includes a magnetic option for solving magnetic structures from powder and single-crystal neutron diffraction data. This tool uses magnetic space and superspace symmetry to describe commensurate and incommensurate magnetic structures. The basics of the underlying formulation of magnetic structure factors and the use of magnetic symmetry for handling modulated and non-modulated magnetic structures are presented here, together with the general features of the magnetic tool. Examples of structures solved in the magnetic option of JANA2020 are given to illustrate the operation and capabilities of the program.

An exhaustive search for missing symmetry was performed for 223 076 entries in the ICSD (2023-2 release). Approximately 0.65% of them can be described with higher symmetry than reported. Out of the identified noncentrosymmetric entries, ∼74% can be described by centrosymmetric space groups; this has implications for compatible physical properties. It is proposed that the information on the correct space group is included in the ICSD.

The embedded call to a special version of the web-based Bilbao Crystallographic Server tool k-SUBGROUPSMAG from within GSAS-II to form a list of all possible commensurate magnetic subgroups of a parent magnetic grey group is described. It facilitates the selection and refinement of the best commensurate magnetic structure model by having all the analysis tools including Rietveld refinement in one place as part of GSAS-II. It also provides the chosen magnetic space group as one of the 1421 possible standard Belov–Neronova–Smirnova forms or equivalent non-standard versions.

Through numerical optimization of cooling lengths and cooling groove positions for the first reflection mirror of a free-electron laser [OK?], the root mean square of the height error of the mirror's thermal deformation was minimized. The optimized mirror design effectively mitigated stray light and enhanced the peak intensity of the focus spot at the sample, thereby enhancing the optical performance of the high-heat-load mirror under high repetition rates at beamline FEL-II of the SHINE facility.

A hard X-ray single-shot spectrometer comprising thin, bent Si crystals has been developed for the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL), for detailed analysis of ultrafast 4.5–17 keV XFEL pulses with a high spectral resolution. This instrument facilitates shot-to-shot spectral structure monitoring and optimization of the operating conditions of the XFEL owing to its ability to provide comprehensive data on the spectral properties and fluctuations of self-amplified spontaneous emission, monochromatic and seeded XFEL modes.

The major principles and requirements of asymmetric and inclined double-crystal monochromators are re-examined and presented to guide their design and development for significantly reducing heat load density and gradient on the monochromators of fourth-generation synchrotron light sources and X-ray free-electron lasers.

The development of instrumentation as well as applications for megahertz X-ray phase contrast imaging at the Single Particles, Clusters, and Biomolecules and Serial Femtosecond Crystallography instrument of the European XFEL are introduced here.

This review focuses on low-dose near-field X-ray speckle phase imaging in the differential mode introducing the existing algorithms with their specifications and comparing their performances under various experimental conditions.

In this work, we showed that the use of ethanol to increase image contrast when imaging cardiac tissue with synchrotron X-ray phase-contrast imaging (X-PCI) leads to heterogeneous tissue shrinkage, which has an impact on the 3D organization of the myocardium.

we introduce a novel approach for a real-time dual-frequency feedback system, which has been firstly used at the hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline of SSRF. The BiBEST can then efficiently stabilize X-ray beam position and stability in parallel, making use of different optical systems in the beamline.

A slit-less wavelength-dispersive spectrometer design using a single-bounce monocapillary that aligns the sample on the Rowland circle, enhancing photon throughput and maintaining resolution. The compact design supports flexibility and reconfiguration in facilities without complex beamline infrastructure, significantly improving detection efficiency.

We describe an ultra-compact setup for in situ X-ray diffraction on the inelastic X-ray scattering beamline ID20 at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The main motivation for the design and construction of this setup is the increasing demand for on-the-fly sample characterization, as well as ease of navigation through a sample's phase diagram, for example subjected to high-pressure and/or high-temperature conditions. We provide technical details and demonstrate the performance of the setup.

Here, a recently commissioned five-analyzer Johann spectrometer at the Inner Shell Spectroscopy beamline (8-ID) at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) is presented. Designed for hard X-ray photon-in/photon-out spectroscopy, the spectrometer achieves a resolution in the 0.5–2 eV range, depending on the element and/or emission line, providing detailed insights into the local electronic and geometric structure of materials. It serves a diverse user community, including fields such as physical, chemical, biological, environmental and materials sciences. This article details the mechanical design, alignment procedures and data-acquisition scheme of the spectrometer, with a particular focus on the continuous asynchronous data-acquisition approach that significantly enhances experimental efficiency.

VMXm joins the suite of operational macromolecular crystallography beamlines at Diamond Light Source. It has been designed to optimize rotation data collections from protein crystals less than 10 µm and down to below 1 µm in size. The beamline has a fully focused beam of 0.3 × 2.3 µm (vertical × horizontal) with a tuneable energy range (6–28 keV) and high flux (1.6 × 1012 photons s−1 at 12.5 keV). The crystals are housed within a vacuum chamber to minimize background scatter from air. Crystals are plunge-cooled on cryo-electron microscopy grids, allowing much of the liquid surrounding the crystals to be removed. These factors improve the signal-to-noise during data collection and the lifetime of the microcrystals can be prolonged by exploiting photoelectron escape. A novel in vacuo sample environment has been designed which also houses a scanning electron microscope to aid with sample visualization. This combination of features at VMXm allows measurements at the physical limits of X-ray crystallography on biomacromolecules to be explored and exploited.

The upgrade of the Swiss Light Source, called SLS 2.0, necessitates comprehensive updates to all 18 user front ends. This upgrade is driven by the increased power of the synchrotron beam, reduced floor space, changing source points, new safety regulations and enhanced beam properties, including a brightness increase by up to a factor of 40. While some existing front-end components are being thoroughly refurbished and upgraded for safety reasons, other components, especially those designed to tailor the new synchrotron beam, are being completely rebuilt. These new designs feature innovative and enhanced cooling systems to manage the high-power load and meet new requirements such as mechanical stability and compact footprints.

High-repetition-rate free-electron lasers impose stringent requirements on the thermal deformation of beamline optics. The Shanghai HIgh-repetition-rate XFEL aNd Extreme light facility (SHINE) experiences high average thermal power and demands wavefront preservation. To deeply study the thermal field of the first reflection mirror M1 at the FEL-II beamline of SHINE, thermal analysis under a photon energy of 400 eV was executed by fluid and solid heat transfer method. According to the thermal analysis results and the reference cooling water temperature of 30 °C, the temperature of the cooling water at the flow outlet is raised by 0.15 °C, and the wall temperature of the cooling tube increases by a maximum of 0.5 °C. The maximum temperature position of the footprint centerline in the meridian direction deviates away from the central position, and this asymmetrical temperature distribution will directly affect the thermal deformation of the mirror and indirectly affect the focus spot of the beam at the sample.

A novel in situ/operando method is introduced to measure the photon beam stability of synchrotron radiation based on orthogonal diffraction imaging of a Laue crystal/analyzer, which can decouple the energy/wavelength and Bragg angle of the photon beam using the dispersion effect in the diffraction process. The method was used to measure the energy jitter and drift of the photon beam on BL09B and BL16U at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The experimental results show that this method can provide a fast way to measure the beam stability of different light sources including bending magnet and undulator with meV-level energy resolution and ms-level time response.

Geological samples are inherently multi-scale. Understanding their bulk physical and chemical properties requires characterization down to the nano-scale. A powerful technique to study the three-dimensional microstructure is X-ray tomography, but it lacks information about the chemistry of samples. To develop a methodology for measuring the multi-scale 3D microstructure of geological samples, correlative X-ray micro- and nanotomography were performed on two rocks followed by scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis. The study was performed in five steps: (i) micro X-ray tomography was performed on rock sample cores, (ii) samples for nanotomography were prepared using laser milling, (iii) nanotomography was performed on the milled sub-samples, (iv) samples were mounted and polished for SEM analysis and (v) SEM imaging and compositional mapping was performed on micro and nanotomography samples for complimentary information. Correlative study performed on samples of serpentine and basalt revealed multiscale 3D structures involving both solid mineral phases and pore networks. Significant differences in the volume fraction of pores and mineral phases were also observed dependent on the imaging spatial resolution employed. This highlights the necessity for the application of such a multiscale approach for the characterization of complex aggregates such as rocks. Information acquired from the chemical mapping of different phases was also helpful in segmentation of phases that did not exhibit significant contrast in X-ray imaging. Adoption of the protocol used in this study can be broadly applied to 3D imaging studies being performed at the Advanced Light Source and other user facilities.

In synchrotron X-ray radiography, achieving high image resolution and an optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is crucial for the subsequent accurate image analysis. Traditional methods often struggle to balance these two parameters, especially in situ applications where rapid data acquisition is essential to capture specific dynamic processes. For quantitative image data analysis, using monochromatic X-rays is essential. A double multilayer monochromator (DMM) is successfully used for this aim at the BAMline, BESSY II (Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin, Germany). However, such DMMs are prone to producing an unstable horizontal stripe pattern. Such an unstable pattern renders proper signal normalization difficult and thereby causes a reduction of the SNR. We introduce a novel approach to enhance SNR while preserving resolution: dynamic tilting of the DMM. By adjusting the orientation of the DMM during the acquisition of radiographic projections, we optimize the X-ray imaging quality, thereby enhancing the SNR. The corresponding shift of the projection during this movement is corrected in post-processing. The latter correction allows a good resolution to be preserved. This dynamic tilting technique enables the homogenization of the beam profile and thereby effectively reduces noise while maintaining high resolution. We demonstrate that data captured using this proposed technique can be seamlessly integrated into the existing radiographic data workflow, as it does not need hardware modifications to classical X-ray imaging beamline setups. This facilitates further image analysis and processing using established methods.

X-ray multi-projection imaging (XMPI) is an emerging experimental technique for the acquisition of rotation-free, time-resolved, volumetric information on stochastic processes. The technique is developed for high-brilliance light-source facilities, aiming to address known limitations of state-of-the-art imaging methods in the acquisition of 4D sample information, linked to their need for sample rotation. XMPI relies on a beam-splitting scheme, that illuminates a sample from multiple, angularly spaced viewpoints, and employs fast, indirect, X-ray imaging detectors for the collection of the data. This approach enables studies of previously inaccessible phenomena of industrial and societal relevance such as fractures in solids, propagation of shock waves, laser-based 3D printing, or even fast processes in the biological domain. In this work, we discuss in detail the beam-splitting scheme of XMPI. More specifically, we explore the relevant properties of X-ray splitter optics for their use in XMPI schemes, both at synchrotron insertion devices and XFEL facilities. Furthermore, we describe two distinct XMPI schemes, designed to faciliate large samples and complex sample environments. Finally, we present experimental proof of the feasibility of MHz-rate XMPI at the European XFEL. This detailed overview aims to state the challenges and the potential of XMPI and act as a stepping stone for future development of the technique.

X-ray ghost imaging with a crystal beam splitter has advantages in highly efficient imaging due to the simultaneous acquisition of signals from both the object beam and reference beam. However, beam splitting with a large field of view, uniform distribution and high correlation has been a great challenge up to now. Therefore, a dedicated beam splitter has been developed by optimizing the optical layout of a synchrotron radiation beamline and the fabrication process of a Laue crystal. A large field of view, consistent size, uniform intensity distribution and high correlation were obtained simultaneously for the two split beams. Modulated by a piece of copper foam upstream of the splitter, a correlation of 92% between the speckle fields of the object and reference beam and a Glauber function of 1.25 were achieved. Taking advantage of synthetic aperture X-ray ghost imaging (SAXGI), a circuit board of size 880 × 330 pixels was successfully imaged with high fidelity. In addition, even though 16 measurements corresponding to a sampling rate of 1% in SAXGI were used for image reconstruction, the skeleton structure of the circuit board can still be determined. In conclusion, the specially developed beam splitter is applicable for the efficient implementation of X-ray ghost imaging.

Soft X-ray spectroscopy is an important technique for measuring the fundamental properties of materials. However, for measurements of samples in the sub-millimetre range, many experimental setups show limitations. Position drifts on the order of hundreds of micrometres during thermal stabilization of the system can last for hours of expensive beam time. To compensate for drifts, sample tracking and feedback systems must be used. However, in complex sample environments where sample access is very limited, many existing solutions cannot be applied. In this work, we apply a robust computer vision algorithm to automatically track and readjust the sample position in the dozens of micrometres range. Our approach is applied in a complex sample environment, where the sample is in an ultra-high vacuum chamber, surrounded by cooled thermal shields to reach sample temperatures down to 2.5 K and in the center of a superconducting split coil. Our implementation allows sample-position tracking and adjustment in the vertical direction since this is the dimension where drifts occur during sample temperature change in our setup. The approach can be easily extended to 2D. The algorithm enables a factor of ten improvement in the overlap of a series of X-ray absorption spectra in a sample with a vertical size down to 70 µm. This solution can be used in a variety of experimental stations, where optical access is available and sample access by other means is reduced.

We present first hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) results of aqueous salt solutions and dispersions of gold nanoparticles in liquid cells equipped with specially designed microfabricated thin silicon nitride membranes, with thickness in the 15–25 nm range, mounted in a high-vacuum-compatible environment. The experiments have been performed at the HAXPES endstation of the GALAXIES beamline at the SOLEIL synchrotron radiation facility. The low-stress membranes are fabricated from 100 mm silicon wafers using standard lithography techniques. Platinum alignment marks are added to the chips hosting the membranes to facilitate the positioning of the X-ray beam on the membrane by detecting the corresponding photoemission lines. Two types of liquid cells have been used, a static one built on an Omicron-type sample holder with the liquid confined in the cell container, and a circulating liquid cell, in which the liquid can flow in order to mitigate the effects due to beam damage. We demonstrate that the membranes are mechanically robust and able to withstand 1 bar pressure difference between the liquid inside the cell and vacuum, and the intense synchrotron radiation beam during data acquisition. This opens up new opportunities for spectroscopic studies of liquids.

The neutralization of acidic solutions containing U (IV) and Ce (III) at room temperature in glove box atmosphere and in the presence of dithionite results in coprecipitation of these elements as amorphous solid solutions CexU1–xO2±y. The solubilities of the precipitates with different mole fractions (x) of Ce(OH)3 (x = 0.01 or 0.1) were determined in 1 M NaClO4 solutions between pH 2.2 and 12.8 under reducing conditions. The solids were investigated by a variety of methods (chemical analysis, SEM-EDX, XRD, XPS, XAS) to determine the nature of the solid solutions formed, their composition and the valence state of Ce and U. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the oxidation states of the solids both before and after the equilibration as Ce (III) and U (IV). The amorphous coprecipitates reached equilibrium relatively fast (∼1 week). The release of Ce from the coprecipitates was totally dominated by the release of uranium over the whole pH range. The Ce concentrations decrease slightly with the decrease of Ce content in the solid, suggesting that CexU1–xO2±y solids behave thermodynamically as solid solutions. The concentrations of U in equilibrium with the coprecipitate were in excellent agreement with the solubility of UO2(s) under reducing conditions reported in the literature. The conditional solubility product of Ce(OH)3 from the coprecipitate was several orders of magnitude (∼4 in the near neutral pH range and ∼18 in the acidic range) lower than that of pure Ce(OH)3(s). The activities and activity coefficients of Ce(OH)3(s) in the coprecipitate were also estimated. Activity coefficients are much less than 1, indicating that the mixing of Ce(OH)3 with UO2 is highly favorable.

The design and first results of a high-transmission soft X-ray spectrometer operated at the X-SPEC double-undulator beamline of the KIT Light Source are presented. As a unique feature, particular emphasis was placed on optimizing the spectrometer transmission by maximizing the solid angle and the efficiencies of spectrometer gratings and detector. A CMOS detector, optimized for soft X-rays, allows for quantum efficiencies of 90% or above over the full energy range of the spectrometer, while simultaneously offering short readout times. Combining an optimized control system at the X-SPEC beamline with continuous energy scans (as opposed to step scans), the high transmission of the spectrometer, and the fast readout of the CMOS camera, enable the collection of entire rapid resonant inelastic soft X-ray scattering maps in less than 1 min. Series of spectra at a fixed energy can be taken with a frequency of up to 5 Hz. Furthermore, the use of higher-order reflections allows a very wide energy range (45 to 2000 eV) to be covered with only two blazed gratings, while keeping the efficiency high and the resolving power E/ΔE above 1500 and 3000 with low- and high-energy gratings, respectively.

The Takagi–Taupin equations are solved in their simplest form (zero deformation) to obtain the Bragg-diffracted and transmitted complex amplitudes. The case of plane-parallel crystal plates is discussed using a matrix model. The equations are implemented in an open-source Python library crystalpy adapted for numerical applications such as crystal reflectivity calculations and ray tracing.

Conic sections are commonly used in reflective X-ray optics. Hyperbolic mirrors can focus a converging light source and are frequently paired with elliptical or parabolic mirrors in Wolter type configurations. This paper derives the closed-form expression for a mirror-centered hyperbolic shape, with zero-slope at the origin. Combined with the slope and curvature, such an expression facilitates metrology, manufacturing and mirror-bending calculations. Previous works consider ellipses, parabolas, magnifying hyperbolas or employ lengthy approximations. Here, the exact shape function is given in terms of the mirror incidence angle and the source and image distances.

Hard X-ray microscopes with 20–30 nm spatial resolution ranges are an advanced tool for the inspection of materials at the nanoscale. However, the limited efficiency of the focusing optics, for example, a Fresnel zone plate (ZP) lens, can significantly reduce the power of a nanoprobe. Despite several reports on ZP lenses that focus hard X-rays with 20 nm resolution – mainly constructed by zone-doubling techniques – a systematic investigation into the limiting factors has not been reported. We report the structural effects on the focusing and imaging efficiency of 20–30 nm-resolution ZPs, employing a modified beam-propagation method. The zone width and the duty cycle (zone width/ring pitch) were optimized to achieve maximum efficiency, and a comparative analysis of the zone materials was conducted. The optimized zone structures were used in the fabrication of Pt-hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) ZPs. The highest focusing efficiency of the Pt-HSQ-ZP with a resolution of 30 nm was 10% at 7 keV and >5% in the range 6–10 keV, whereas the highest efficiency of the Pt-HSQ-ZP with a resolution of 20 nm was realized at 7 keV with an efficiency of 7.6%. Optical characterization conducted at X-ray beamlines demonstrated significant enhancement of the focusing and imaging efficiency in a broader range of hard X-rays from 5 keV to 10 keV, demonstrating the potential application in hard X-ray focusing and imaging.

Autonomous methods to align beamlines can decrease the amount of time spent on diagnostics, and also uncover better global optima leading to better beam quality. The alignment of these beamlines is a high-dimensional expensive-to-sample optimization problem involving the simultaneous treatment of many optical elements with correlated and nonlinear dynamics. Bayesian optimization is a strategy of efficient global optimization that has proved successful in similar regimes in a wide variety of beamline alignment applications, though it has typically been implemented for particular beamlines and optimization tasks. In this paper, we present a basic formulation of Bayesian inference and Gaussian process models as they relate to multi-objective Bayesian optimization, as well as the practical challenges presented by beamline alignment. We show that the same general implementation of Bayesian optimization with special consideration for beamline alignment can quickly learn the dynamics of particular beamlines in an online fashion through hyperparameter fitting with no prior information. We present the implementation of a concise software framework for beamline alignment and test it on four different optimization problems for experiments on X-ray beamlines at the National Synchrotron Light Source II and the Advanced Light Source, and an electron beam at the Accelerator Test Facility, along with benchmarking on a simulated digital twin. We discuss new applications of the framework, and the potential for a unified approach to beamline alignment at synchrotron facilities.

The Australian Synchrotron Imaging and Medical Beamline (IMBL) uses a superconducting multipole wiggler (SCMPW) source, dual crystal Laue monochromator and 135 m propagation distance to enable imaging and computed tomography (CT) studies of large samples with mono-energetic radiation. This study aimed to quantify two methods for CT dose reduction: wiggler source operation at reduced magnetic field strength, and beam modulation with spatial filters placed upstream from the sample. Transmission measurements with copper were used to indirectly quantify the influence of third harmonic radiation. Operation at lower wiggler magnetic field strength reduces dose rates by an order of magnitude, and suppresses the influence of harmonic radiation, which is of significance near 30 keV. Beam shaping filters modulate the incident beam profile for near constant transmitted signal, and offer protection to radio-sensitive surface organs: the eye lens, thyroid and female breast. Their effect is to reduce the peripheral dose and the dose to the scanned volume by about 10% for biological samples of 35–50 mm diameter and by 20–30% for samples of up to 160 mm diameter. CT dosimetry results are presented as in-air measurements that are specific to the IMBL, and as ratios to in-air measurements that may be applied to other beamlines. As CT dose calculators for small animals are yet to be developed, results presented here and in a previous study may be used to estimate absorbed dose to organs near the surface and the isocentre.

SPring-8-II is a major upgrade project of SPring-8 that was inaugurated in October 1997 as a third-generation synchrotron radiation light source. This upgrade project aims to achieve three goals simultaneously: achievement of excellent light source performance, refurbishment of aged systems, and significant reduction in power consumption for the entire facility. A small emittance of 50 pm rad will be achieved by (1) replacing the existing double-bend lattice structure with a five-bend achromat one, (2) lowering the stored beam energy from 8 to 6 GeV, (3) increasing the horizontal damping partition number from 1 to 1.3, and (4) enhancing horizontal radiation damping by installing damping wigglers in long straight sections. The use of short-period in-vacuum undulators allows ultrabrilliant X-rays to be provided while keeping a high-energy spectral range even at the reduced electron-beam energy of 6 GeV. To reduce power consumption, the dedicated, aged injector system has been shut down and the high-performance linear accelerator of SACLA, a compact X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) facility, is used as the injector of the ring in a time-shared manner. This allows the simultaneous operation of XFEL experiments at SACLA and full/top-up injection of the electron beam into the ring. This paper overviews the concept of the SPring-8-II project, the system design of the light source and the details of the accelerator component design.

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