Sub-picosecond optical pulses at the SLS storage ring

We report on the feasibility and expected performance of a sub-picosecond X-ray source at the Swiss Light Source (SLS), based on the electron-beam slicing method. This method has recently been demonstrated at the Advanced Light Source (ALS), using a bending magnet to produce ultrafast optical pulses. To improve the flux of such a source for user experiments, we have studied its realization both in the hard and soft X-ray regime, employing small gap insertion devices (IDs) installed either in one or in two successive straight sections. The most favourable geometry is one in which the modulator and the radiator are positioned in the same straight section of the storage ring.