Circularly polarized synchrotron radiation from the crossed undulator at BESSY

Abstract

The first experimental results from a double undulator with crossed magnetic fields for producing circularly polarized synchrotron radiation in the vacuum ultraviolet-soft x-ray range are presented. The observed variation of the extent of circularly polarized radiation with photon energy is discussed. A strong dependence of the state and degree of polarization on the exact details of the tuning of the two undulators and the monochromator is observed. This probably accounts for the measured degree of polarization being smaller than theoretically expected.