Design and Construction Progress of the Tender X-ray Spectromicroscopy and Ptychography Beamline at the Hefei Advanced Light Facility

Abstract

By reducing the transverse divergence to approach the diffraction limit of X-rays, fourth-generation synchrotron light sources based on diffraction-limited storage rings deliver unparalleled brilliance and coherence. The Hefei Advanced Light Facility (HALF), currently under construction, is a fourth-generation diffraction-limited storage ring light source designed to operate at 2.2 GeV with a natural emittance below 100 pm·rad. The tender X-ray microscopy and spectroscopy imaging beamline (BL09) is among its first batch of beamlines under construction. This beamline integrates two complementary imaging modes: ptychography and full-field transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM), designed to achieve spatial resolutions of 7 nm and 15 nm, respectively. It covers an energy range of 2.1–10 keV, enabling access to the K-absorption edges of key elements such as P, S, Ca, and transition metals. This paper presents a comprehensive description of BL09, including its design specifications, key optical components, dual-mode imaging methodologies, experimental environments (e.g., vacuum conditions, vibration isolation schemes, and in-situ setups), and construction progress. By highlighting the beamline’s leading capabilities in high-resolution, rapid, and multimodal imaging, this article aims to help potential users and those interested in the development of HALF fully understand its technical advantages and promote its scientific applications in frontier fields such as life sciences, materials science, and energy catalysis.