Synchrotron Radiation and Magnetism: Light Sources, Techniques and Applications

Book excerpt: Synchrotron radiation (SR) refers to the electromagnetic radiation produced when relativistic charged particles experience an acceleration perpendicular to their velocity. It is created artificially in particle accelerators or naturally by fast electrons moving through magnetic fields. An SR source is a source that emits electromagnetic radiation (EM) through a storage ring or bending magnets for technical and scientific purposes. The techniques used in SR include imaging and microscopy, X-ray diffraction and scattering, and spectroscopy. SR has numerous applications in medical imaging, particularly, in mammography, monochromatic computed tomography, intravenous coronary angiography and bronchography. It has shown to be an extremely powerful instrument for the study of magnetic materials and phenomena due to its unique properties including adaptable time structure, wide energy spectrum, and variable light polarization. This book aims to understand the various light sources, techniques and applications of synchrotron radiation and magnetism. It is appropriate for students seeking detailed information in this area of study as well as for experts.