Design and Performance of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project (SSRP)

The Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project (SSRP) is now in full operation as a national facility utilizing the intense ultraviolet and x-radiation from the storage ring SPEAR at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). The experimenter-operated facility is designed to maximize access to, and utilization of the radiation by 5 or more simultaneous users, within the limits of parasitic operation on a high energy colliding beam storage ring. A novel experimenter-controlled personnel protection system permits independent access to each of 5 experimental areas. A vacuum monitoring and control system protects the storage ring vacuum from contamination, rising pressure, or catastrophic failure. The design and operation characteristics of these control systems and of the beam position monitoring and control system, vacuum system and thin beryllium windows are presented.