The Maloja endstation is located at the soft X-ray branch Athos of SwissFEL and is dedicated to atomic, molecular and non-linear X-ray physics and chemical dynamics. It will take direct advantage of the novel X-ray beam modes from the Athos branch at SwissFEL. With the highly flexible Maloja endstation, we will be able to trace electronic structure changes and nuclear rearrangement on their natural time scales of femtoseconds to attoseconds, to exploit the state selectivity of X-rays for spatial resolution, and to explore novel opportunities in nonlinear X-ray spectroscopy and single-shot imaging. Maloja will enable innovative research on the ultrafast dynamics of gas-phase atoms, molecules, and clusters as well as liquids and nanoparticles.
Design Paramaters
| Projected X-ray parameters | |
| Photon energy range | 250 - 1800 eV (full Athos range) |
| Pulse duration | sub-fs to 100 fs |
| Bandwidth | 0.02 - 10 % (SASE pulses) |
| Focus | Adaptable KB system, smallest focus expected 1 μm x 1 μm (FWHM) |
| Sample delivery systems | |
| Room temperature and heated supersonic gas jet with pulsed valves | |
| Gas needle | |
| Microfluidic liquid jet | |
| Aerosol injector | |
| Spectrometers and detectors | |
| Hemispherical electron analyzer | |
| Ion-Time-of-Flight spectrometer | |
| Photon spectrometer | |
| Ion momentum spectrometer (planned) | |
| Jungfrau 4M detector (planned) | |
| Optical laser system | |
| Fundamental wavelength | 800 nm |
| Pulse energy fundamental | 20 mJ |
| Pulse duration fundamental | 35 fs |
| Other wavelengths | 2nd (400 nm) and 3rd (266 nm) harmonic of fundamental |
Endstation Layout
Maloja is designed as a highly flexible endstation covering a wide range of experimental techniques, including electron and ion spectrometers as well as large-area detectors for ultrafast imaging. The endstation consists of four interaction points that can each accommodate the various spectrometers and sample delivery systems. The best X-ray focus of an estimated 1 micrometer (FWHM) will be achieved in the first interaction point closest to the KB mirrors.
Highlights and News
3.1 million in funding for new research projects at PSI
The PSI scientists Zurab Guguchia and Kirsten Schnorr are to receive grants totalling CHF 3.1 million from the Swiss National Science Foundation for ground-breaking projects.
Athos just got even better
An ambitious upgrade at the soft X-ray beamline of the free electron laser SwissFEL opens up new experimental capabilities.
New SwissFEL soft X-ray endstation welcomes first users
Maloja is go. First user experiments mark a double first, not only for the Maloja endstation but also for the second beamline of SwissFEL, Athos.