Abstract:

I will describe a new generation of powerful x-ray laser facilities that will address needs in basic science and technology. These needs include a capability to probe materials at the nanometer length scale, milli-electron volt energy scale, and atto-to-femtosecond time scale. Accelerator driven, free-electron-driven x-ray lasers have recently been demonstrated at SLAC. Experiments ranging from atomic and molecular physics, to materials under extreme conditions, are being undertaken. A next-generation of x-ray lasers could be built at LBNL, based on superconducting, high current, GeV-scale electron accelerators, and will produce multiple beams of extremely powerful, fully-coherent x-ray radiation for a broad array of users.