When an electron with its velocity almost equal to that of light is
accelerated, e.g., by magnetic field, it delivers bright light with continuous
spectra ranging from far infrared to x-ray. The light generated through
such a process is called synchrotron radiation (SR) or synchrotron light.
Since SR is much brighter and has higher directionality than any other
light source it provides great scientific opportunity for various fields;
from basic science to applied science and technology.
The Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SRL) has an electron storage
ring (SOR-RING) equipped with the instruments for spectroscopy experiments.
Since 1974 this ring had provided bright and stable SR for the outside
users and SRL staff members. But its operation for the user experiments
was stopped on March 31 in 1997 for some reasons. SRL also has a branch
laboratory in the site of the National Laboratory for High Energy Physics
(KEK). Two beamlines are installed at the Photon Factory of KEK, and advanced
experiments such as spin-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy are carried
out there.
Furthermore, SRL is promoting the construction project of a third-generation
high brilliance light source at Kashiwa Campus, a new campus of Tokyo University;
in the near future the light source will be one of the most brilliant source
for vacuum ultraviolet and soft x-ray experiments.