XFEL

X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility, XFEL, is a free electron laser facility being constructed in conjunction with an existing facility (DESY) in Hamburg, Germany. Since 2009, Sweden has been a part-owner of the German company XFEL GmbH, which is responsible for the construction and owns the facility.

The two first experiments at XFEL became operational in 2017, but the construction will continue over the coming years, to make the facility reach its full potential. When fully completed, the machine will deliver energy at 17.5 keV (0.7 Å), with 27 000 femtosecond light pulses per second. This will provide opportunities for research into materials science, structural biology and femtosecond chemistry. Several Swedish research teams are active in the construction of XFEL, and several are expected to compete for user time at the facility.