Coherent imaging at the Diamond beamline I13

The Diamond beamline I13 for imaging and coherence applications is dedicated to hard X-ray imaging on the micro and nano-lengthscale. Two independent stations will be operated in a separate building at a distance of 250 m from the source. The imaging branch will perform in-line phase contrast imaging and tomography over a large field of view in the 6–35 keV energy range. In addition it will be possible to switch to full-field microscopy with 50 nm spatial resolution. Other microscopies will be developed according to the scientific needs. Resolution beyond the limitations given by the detector and X-ray optics will be achieved on the ‘coherence’ branch. Techniques working in the far field such as Coherent X-Ray Diffraction and other Coherent Diffraction Imaging techniques such as ptychography will be implemented. Typical applications cover different fields such as bio-medicine, materials science, geo- and astrophysics or even cultural heritage. The beamline hosts a number of innovative features such as the so-called ‘mini-beta’ layout for electron optics in the storage ring or new concepts for beamline instrumentation. The stations will be operational in 2011.