New Era of Research Begins as World’s First Hard X-ray Laser Achieves “First Light”
Only 12 out of a total 33 LCLS undulator magnets were needed to create the first pulses of laser light. (Photo: Brad Plummer)
The world's brightest x-ray source sprang to life last week at the U.S. Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The Linac Coherent Light Source offers researchers the first-ever glimpse of high-energy or "hard" x-ray laser light produced in a laboratory.