Speaker
Description
The UK XFEL project is now one year into its three-year Conceptual Design and Options Analysis (CDOA) phase. The purpose of this phase is to develop concepts to meet the required ‘next-generation’ XFEL capabilities identified in the project’s comprehensive, peer-reviewed, Science Case, which was developed by UK academia. The envisaged next-generation features are a step-change in both the number of simultaneous experiments and in their capability – through multiple, combinable FEL sources delivering transform limited pulses across a wide range of photon energies and pulse durations, together with a comprehensive array of synchronised sources including high power lasers and particle beams. The project is assessing options to achieve this either via a new UK-based facility or by investment at existing XFELs, based on criteria including performance, cost, and environmental sustainability. The project is holding a series of Townhalls and other workshops around the UK (see https://xfel.ac.uk) and is building collaborations nationally and internationally. This talk will give an overview of progress to date and future plans.
