Multiple‐beamline operation of SACLA.

The SPring‐8 Ångstrom Compact free‐electron LAser (SACLA) began parallel operation of three beamlines (BL1–3) in autumn 2017 to increase the user beam time of the X‐ray free‐electron laser. The success of the multiple‐beamline operation is based on two technological achievements: (i) the fast switching operation of the SACLA main linear accelerator, which provides BL2 and BL3 with pulse‐by‐pulse electron beams, and (ii) the relocation and upgrade of the SPring‐8 Compact SASE Source for BL1, for the generation of a soft X‐ray free‐electron laser. Moreover, the photon beamlines and experimental stations were upgraded to facilitate concurrent user experiments at the three beamlines and accommodate more advanced experiments. The parallel operation of three free‐electron laser (FEL) beamlines was first conducted using the SPring‐8 Ångstrom Compact free‐electron LAser (SACLA), to offer more opportunities for advanced studies using X‐ray FELs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]