Facility · Synchrotrons
MAX IV Laboratory
The first multi-bend achromat ring (3 GeV, 528 m), plus a 1.5 GeV ring and a 3 GeV linac
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- Lund, Sweden
- Operator
- MAX IV Laboratory (Lund University)
- Next
- Soft X-ray laser SXL — conceptual design ready, no decision to build
Summary
The first facility to use a multi-bend achromat (MBA) in a large ring. It opened in 2016 and set the direction for every fourth-generation light source. The 3 GeV ring: a circumference of 528 m, horizontal emittance of about 200–330 pm·rad depending on the undulator gaps, 10 beamlines (3 GeV ring). The 1.5 GeV ring: 96 m, 6 nm·rad, a compact double-bend achromat (1.5 GeV ring).
Now as of 9 Nov 2026
In user operation. The SXL project (Soft X-ray Laser) would add a soft X-ray free-electron laser on the existing 3 GeV linac: a new 40-metre undulator, a beamline and stations. The conceptual design (funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and MAX IV) is complete and serves as the basis for discussions with users; the website gives no schedule or budget (SXL). The Swedish user organisation included SXL among MAX IV's prospects in its report to the Swedish Research Council (VR, 2025).
Key dates
- 2016MAX IV opensdone
- Sep 2021SXL conceptual design presenteddone
Timeline
- 28 Sep 2021Presentation of the SXL conceptual design — slides