Synchrotron radiation plays a crucial role in driving innovation, leading numerous facilities globally to upgrade their electron storage rings to the 4th generation, known as diffraction-limited storage Rings (DLSR), with the aim of enhancing the brightness of photon beams. Following the commissioning of its new DLSR, the Swiss Light Source (SLS2.0) is set to finalize the installation of photon sources, introducing a new series of undulators in 2026. Among these, the I-Tomcat beamline dedicated to tomographic microscopy will feature a prototype undulator based on High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS), promising photon beams of extreme brightness, potentially up to 2 orders of magnitude brighter than the current state of the art.
After briefly outlining the applications of tomography at the SLS and exploring new possibilities with the upcoming upgrade, the research and development activities related to the HTS undulator, utilizing REBCO bulks, will be discussed in detail. The ongoing short sample program, conducted in collaboration with the University of Cambridge, will be presented with a focus on sample preparation and the achievement of record magnetic fields. The design progress of the meter-long prototype for I-Tomcat will be addressed, along with the current status of its procurement.