Herman Winick - Böcker

This book has grown out of our shared experience in the development of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL), based on the electron-positron storage ring SPEAR at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) starting in Summer, 1973. The immense potential of the photon beam from SPEAR became obvious as soon as experiments using the beam started to run in May, 1974. The rapid growth of interest in using the beam since that time and the growth of other facilities using high-energy storage rings (see Chapters 1 and 3) demonstrates how the users of this source of radiation are finding applications in an increasingly wide variety of fields of science and technology. In assembling the list of authors for this book, we have tried to cover as many of the applications of synchrotron radiation, both realized already or in the process of realization, as we can. Inevitably, there are omissions both through lack of space and because many projects are at an early stage. We thank the authors for their efforts and cooperation in producing what we believe is the most comprehensive treatment of synchrotron radiation research to date.

Specialists in the technical components of a synchrotron light source are usually well versed in their field and in the associated technical literature. However, with the rapid and continuing growth of synchrotron radiation research, and with new facilities coming online and being authorized for design and construction around the world, there is a need for a reference book that describes the various technical components of a synchrotron light source in a manner that will be useful to those who lack specialized technical background, but who have responsibility for some part of the design, construction, operation or development of such a facility. This would include technicians, engineers and physicists who have technical background in related fields but no specific experience with a synchrotron light source, and also project managers, laboratory directors, and government officials involved with synchrotron light facilities.College level scientific or engineering training or the equivalent experience is assumed and appropriate mathematics is used throughout. However, the basic concepts in each chapter are given in less technical language and a glossary of terms as well as an index will make the book useful for those with less technical training or experience.