High Brilliance X-ray Sources and the Study of Amorphous Materials

Abstract

Approximately two years ago, Bienenstock et al.¹ reviewed the impact of the availability of x-ray synchrotron radiation on the study of atomic arrangements in amorphous materials. Since that time, it has become apparent that orders of magnitude increases in the x-ray spectral brilliance will soon become available as a result of the use of undulators on the 16 GeV storage ring PEP at Stanford University and proposed 6–8 GeV storage rings (the Advanced Photon Source APS in the U. S. and the European Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory ESRL). In this paper, we review briefly the new characteristics which the radiation will have, relative to that obtained from bending magnets and wigglers. We then discuss the manner in which the studies of atomic arrangements may be expected to be affected by these changes.