X-ray optics for advanced ultrafast pump–probe X-ray experiments at SACLA

X-ray optics were implemented for advanced ultrafast X-ray experiments with different techniques at the hard X-ray beamline BL3 of SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser. A double channel-cut crystal monochromator (DCCM) and compound refractive lenses (CRLs) were installed to tailor the beam conditions. These X-ray optics can work simultaneously with an arrival-timing monitor that compensates for timing jitter and drift. Inner-walls of channel-cut crystals (CCs) in the DCCM were processed by plasma chemical vaporization machining to remove crystallographic damage. Four-bounced reflection profiles of the CCs were investigated and excellent diffraction qualities were achieved. The use of CRLs enabled two-dimensional X-ray focusing with a spot size of ∼1.5 µm × 1.5 µm full width at half-maximum, while keeping reasonable throughputs for a wide photon energy range of 5−15 keV.