Coherent X-ray imaging and microscopy opportunities with a diffraction-limited Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) synchrotron source

A proposed Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) x-ray source at Cornell would be a 5-7 GeV synchrotron facility based on the energy-recovery principle with a superconducting linac. Because of its ultra-small round electron source and ultra-short but flexible bunch structure, the ERL has the potential to produce subpicosecond ultra-bright diffraction-limited hard x-ray beams that are superior to those from existing storage rings, and would enable new scientific experiments that are difficult or impossible to perform today. In this paper, we discuss the transverse coherence properties of the ERL source and show how these properties could benefit various x-ray microscopy applications that require a highly coherent and intense x-ray beam. These applications include full coherent illumination of wide-aperture zone-plate optics for scanning x-ray microscopy, diffraction-limited coherent phase-contrast microscopy and tomography, fully coherent hard x-ray diffraction microscopy, and large-coherence-area x-ray holography techniques