Skip to main content
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
LCLSLinac Coherent Light Source

User Portal Login   |  LCLS Internal Site

Main navigation

  • About
    • Organizational Chart
    • People & Committees
      • Leadership
      • Users' Executive Committee
      • Scientific Advisory Committee
      • LCLS Detector Advisory Committee
      • Proposal Review Panel
      • SLAC Photon Science Faculty
      • Users' Recognition Award
      • Young Investigator Award
    • Strategic Plan 2023-2028
    • Our Science
    • Internships
      • Intern Testimonials
      • Summer Student Poster Sessions
    • Jobs
    • Multimedia
      • Virtual Tours
      • Fact Sheets & Infographics
      • Image Gallery
      • Youtube Videos
    • Coming to SLAC
    • Contact Us
  • User Resources
    • User Research Administration (URA) Office
    • Schedules
    • Proposals
      • Proposal Preparation Guidelines
      • MeV-UED Proposals
      • Proposal Review Process
      • Run 25 Proposal Call
      • Universal Proposal System (UPS)
      • Submit Proposal
      • Archived Proposal Calls
    • User Agreements
    • Policies
    • Proprietary Research
    • Safety & Training
      • Work Planning & Control
      • LCLS Building Orientation
      • Hutch 6 Non-Permit Confined Space Training
      • Sample Delivery Training
      • Sample Prep Lab Training
    • SLAC User Access Requirements
      • Computer Accounts
      • Data Collection & Analysis (PCDS)
      • DAQ
      • Shipping Equipment & Materials
      • Financial Accounts
    • Links By Category
  • Publications
    • LCLS Publications
    • Search Publications
    • Submit New Publication
    • Archived Publications
  • Instruments
    • chemRIXS
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
      • Standard Configurations
      • Publications
    • CXI
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
      • Components
      • Standard Configurations
      • Publications
    • MEC
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
      • Diagnostics & Components
      • Standard Configurations
      • Lasers & Beam Delivery
      • Publications
    • MFX
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
      • Standard Configurations
      • Publications
    • qRIXS
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Layout & Specifications
      • Capabilities
    • TMO
      • Science Goals
      • Layout & Specifications
      • Standard Configuration
      • Publications
    • TXI
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Layout & Specifications
    • XCS
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
      • Components
      • Standard Configurations
      • Operation Modes
      • Publications
    • XPP
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
      • Components
      • Standard Configurations
      • Publications
    • MeV-UED
      • Specifications
      • Run 6 Scientific Capabilities
      • Schematics
      • Endstations
      • Proposals
      • Proposal Review Process
      • Schedule
      • Publications
    • LCLS-II-HE
    • DXS
      • Science Goals
      • Experimental Methods
      • Specifications
    • Instrument Maps
    • Standard Configurations
  • Machine
    • Machine Status
    • Machine FAQ (NC Linac)
    • Parameters
    • Schedules
  • Projects
    • LCLS-II
      • Science
      • Design & Performance
      • Commissioning
    • LCLS-II-HE
      • Science
      • Design & Performance
      • Meetings and Reports
      • Instruments
      • Internal Site
    • MEC-U
      • Science Mission
      • Design & Performance
      • Workshops & Meetings
      • Publications
      • News
      • Resources & Photos
      • Internal Site
  • Departments
    • SRD Leadership
    • Atomic, Molecular, & Optical Sciences
      • Research Interests
      • People
      • Research Highlights
      • Attosecond Science Campaign
    • Biological Sciences & Sample Preparations
      • Sample Environment & Delivery
      • Sample Preparation Laboratories
      • Biolabs at the Arrillaga Science Center (ASC)
      • Equipment Inventory
      • Chemical Inventory
    • Chemical Sciences
      • Research Interests
      • People
      • News & Highlights
      • Publications
    • Material Sciences
      • Research Interests
      • People
    • Matter in Extreme Conditions
      • Research Interests
      • People
      • Publications
    • Laser Sciences
      • Research Interests
      • Laser Capabilities​
      • People
      • User Resources
    • Detectors
      • Technologies
      • People
      • User Resources
    • Experiment Data Systems
      • Infrastructure
      • People
      • Projects
      • User Resources
    • Experiment Control Systems
      • Leadership
  • News
    • LCLS Science SLAC News Feed
    • Announcements & Updates
    • External News Features
      • Archive
  • Links

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Instruments
  3. MEC (Matter In Extreme Conditions)
  4. …
Facebook Share X Post LinkedIn Share Email Send
  • chemRIXS
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
    • Standard Configurations
    • Publications
  • CXI
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
    • Components
    • Standard Configurations
    • Publications
  • MEC
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
    • Diagnostics & Components
    • Standard Configurations
    • Lasers & Beam Delivery
    • Publications
  • MFX
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
    • Standard Configurations
    • Publications
  • qRIXS
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Layout & Specifications
    • Capabilities
  • TMO
    • Science Goals
    • Layout & Specifications
    • Standard Configuration
    • Publications
  • TXI
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Layout & Specifications
  • XCS
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
    • Components
    • Standard Configurations
    • Operation Modes
    • Publications
  • XPP
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
    • Components
    • Standard Configurations
    • Publications
  • MeV-UED
    • Specifications
    • Run 6 Scientific Capabilities
    • Schematics
    • Endstations
    • Proposals
    • Proposal Review Process
    • Schedule
    • Publications
  • LCLS-II-HE
  • DXS
    • Science Goals
    • Experimental Methods
    • Specifications
  • Instrument Maps
  • Standard Configurations

MEC Specifications

MEC Beamline Components cartoon
MEC Schematic

Source Parameters

Photon Energy

2.5-25 keV for 1st harmonic*

Up to 25 keV for 2nd and 3rd harmonic*

Source Size

60 x 60 µm2 (HxV) FWHM @ 8.3 keV

Source Divergence

2 x 2 µrad2 (HxV) FWHM @ 8.3 keV

Repetition Rate

120 Hz

Pulse Duration

60 - 300 fs (high charge mode)

<10 fs (low charge mode)

Pulse Energy

0.3-2.2 mJ (for nominal 30 fs pulse; photon energy dependent)

Beamline Transmission

Depends on photon energy, 10% (4 keV) - 40% (8 keV)

Photons per Pulse

~1 x 1012 (high charge mode @ 8.3 keV)

~1 x 1011 (low charge mode @ 8.3 keV)

Focusing Capability

Lens stacks appropriate to given photon energy. Tuned from a couple of microns to several tens of microns by moving target out of focus.

Unfocused Beam Size (8 keV)

Up to 1,000 x 1,000 µm2 FWHM @ 8.3 keV

Energy Resolution ΔE/E

~0.2% (bandwidth of LCLS beam)

1.4 x 10-4 (with a Si(111) monochromater)

See machine parameters for more information on the source.

* Energies below 4 keV are in principle usable but the beam size at the end station is large leading to reduced flux. Fundamental goes to 25 keV, where both fundamental and harmonics are cut off by the HOMS transport mirrors common to all hard X-ray instruments.

Long Pulse Laser System

Technology

Frequency Doubled Nd:Glass system

Wavelength

527 nm

Pulse Length

5 - 35 ns ("best effort" for pulse duration down to 2 ns)

Pulse Energy on Target

4 arms polarization multiplexed into two beams with energy depending on pulse length and shape: each arm up to ~25 J at 527 nm in a 10 ns square pulse, with a maximum peak power of all arms combined of 10 GW. Contact MEC staff for details.

Repetition Rate

~1 shot per 7 minutes (or ~3.5 minutes for one beam interleaved; pulse shaping quality may be reduced)

​Focusing Capability

  • Flat top spatial profile: 150, 300, and 600 µm diameter spot size with Continuous Phase Plates

  • Direct focus: 250 mm focal length aspheric lenses. Note that the wavefront is of poor quality for focusing without phase plate.

Short Pulse Laser System

Technology

Ti:Sapphire CPA laser system

Wavelength

800 nm (400 nm also available)

Pulse Length

40 fs

Pulse Energy on Target at 800 nm

1 J (at 5 Hz), 5 mJ (at 120 Hz)

Repetition Rate

5 Hz

​ASE Contrast

​​>108

​Focusing Capability

​f/5 OAP in standard delivery, <10 µm FWHM focus; I > 4x1019 W/cm2

See more laser details

Diagnostics

MEC-specialized 

Pixel Array Detectors

  • ePix10k Quad (384 x 352 modules; 4 per Quad) 

    • Sensor thickness: 1 mm Si (double of standard)

    • 100 x 100 µm2 pixel size

    • Max signal (8 keV photons) 11000; r.m.s. noise: 320 eV

    • DAQ rate: up to 120 Hz

    • EMP-resistant enclosure and cabling

X-ray Thomson Scattering 
Spectrometers

  • Energy ranges: 4-8 and 7.5-25 keV

  • Crystals: HAPG (von Hamos)

  • Resolving power (@ 8 keV):  1.13x10-3

  • Scattering angles: fixed horizontal (by configuration)

  • DAQ rate: up to 120 Hz

X-ray Transmission 
Crystal Spectrometer

  • Energy range at high resolution of about 1.5 keV at central photon energy in range: 6-21 keV

  • Energy range of low resolution mode: 20-200 keV

  • Crystals: Quartz (101) plan for low resolution and assymetric cut (203) for high resolution

  • Resolving power (@ 8 keV): 3 x 10-4 

  • Fully shielded with 12 mm of tungsten

  • DAQ rate: up to 120 Hz

​Line imaging VISAR

  • Dual camera to remove phase ambiguity

  • Temporal window: 1 ns - 1 ms

  • Temporal resolution: 20 ps

  • Field of view: 0.265 mm at the streak cameras

  • Imaging resolution: 10 µm

  • 0.1 Hz

Alignment diagnostics

  • Questar long distance microscopes

  • Spatial resolution: 20 µm

  • Field of view: 0.5-5 mm adjustable

  • Motorized focus

XUV spectrometer

  • Wavelength range: 7 - 35 nm

  • Resolution: 0.08 nm

  • Collection efficiency: 2.5 10-5 photons 

  • detected per emitted photon in 4π

  • DAQ rate: up to 0.2 Hz (with 1 MHz controller)

  • Detector: PI-MTE 2048B

MEC CONTACTs 

Eric Galtier

MEC Instrument Lead
(650) 926-6227  
egaltier@slac.stanford.edu

Ariel Arnott

Area Manager
(650) 926-2604  
amarnott@slac.stanford.edu

Gilliss Dyer

MEC Department Head
(650) 926-3414  
gilliss@slac.stanford.edu

Hae Ja Lee

Lead Scientist 
(650) 926-2049  
haelee@slac.stanford.edu

Philip Heimann

Senior Scientist 
(650) 926-8772  
paheim@slac.stanford.edu

Dimitri Khaghani

Staff Scientist
(650) 926-5009  
khaghani@slac.stanford.edu

Bob Nagler

Staff Scientist
(650) 926-3810  
bnagler@slac.stanford.edu

Nick Czapla

Associate Laser Scientist
(650) 926-4314  
nczapla@slac.stanford.edu

Nina Boiadjieva

Staff Engineer
(650) 926-4035  
ninab@slac.stanford.edu

Peregrine McGehee

Staff Engineer
(650) 926-1631  
peregrin@slac.stanford.edu

Philip Hart

Staff Engineer
(650) 926-2813  
philiph@slac.stanford.edu

Marc Welch

Staff Engineer
(650) 926-3754  
mwelch@slac.stanford.edu

Jonathan Ehni

Science & Engineering Associate
(650) 926-4562  
jonehni@slac.stanford.edu

-

MEC Control Room
(650) 926-7970  
MEC Hutch
(650) 926-7974  
Vestibule
(650) 926-7976

MEC LOCATION 

MEC location in Far Experimental Hall (FEH), Hutch 6
Far Experimental Hall (FEH), Hutch 6
Complete LCLS Instrument Map
Complete Instrument Map

Become A user

SVG

Review LCLS Schedules

Review Info on Proposals

Review LCLS Policies

Review Machine FAQ, Parameters, Status

Register as User and Submit Proposal

Subscribe to LCLSUO E-mail List

Confirm User Agreements

Industry - Research Partnerships

LCLS | Linac Coherent Light Source
2575 Sand Hill Road MS103
Menlo Park, CA 94025
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Flickr
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • Staff portal
  • Privacy policy
  • Accessibility
  • Vulnerability disclosure
SLAC
  • SLAC home
  • Maps & directions
  • Emergency info
  • Careers

© 2025 SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is operated by Stanford University for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science.

Stanford University U.S. Department of Energy
Top Top
Back to top Back to top