FEL2026 - 42nd International Free Electron Laser Conference

Which is better, small or large? -Lessons we learned at operations of SACLA-

MOY01

24 Aug 2026, 10:30

25m

Invited Oral Presentation Session 2: FEL Prize Talks FEL Prize Talks (Invited)

Speaker

Hitoshi Tanaka (RIKEN SPring-8 Center)

Description

The Compact X-ray Free-Electron Laser (SACLA) initially faced severe criticism that it would be unable to achieve effective laser amplification. However, SACLA smoothly achieved laser amplification after its construction and has become one of the world’s most widely used FEL facilities, capable of conducting independent experiments simultaneously with its three FEL beamlines. This presentation focuses on the achievements obtained by the unique systems SACLA was the first in the world to introduce. The presentation also discusses the advantages of building a compact facility, as well as the considerations of a large-scale facility.