Studies of quantum materials heavily rely on experimental techniques which in some cases can only be conducted at large scale facilities. Examples of such techniques are neutron-, muon-, or x-ray scattering – as well as Angle Resolved Photoemission Spectroscopy (ARPES), although QMI researchers also have access to ARPES in the lab led by Andrea Damascelli . QMI groups using these techniques have to submit proposals to run experiments at user accessible facilities such as TRIUMF, Brookhaven, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. In particular, specific ARPES studies that require synchrotron radition are carried out at I05 beamline at Diamond, APE and BadElph beamlines at Elettra, and ALS at Berkeley National Laboratory, to name a few.

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In the future, however, ARPES studies may also be conducted at the Canadian Light Source at the University of Saskatchewan, where the Quantum Materials Spectroscopy Centre (QMSC) is currently under development under Damascelli’s leadership. The new state-of-the-art beamline will enable the detailed study of several novel materials that are important in condensed matter research. The facility has a set of features which will make it unique in the world. The beamline developed by the CLS is based on a “dual-undulator” to convert an electron beam into electromagnetic radiation which allow for wide photon energies range, high photon flux and full control over light polarization. The facility features two end stations developed by QMI; one for high energy resolution ARPES and the other for spin resolved ARPES.

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QMSC is being set-up by Sergey Gorovikov and Tor Pedersen at the Canadian Light Source, as well as members from the Damascelli group, including QMI’s ARPES research engineer, Sergey Zhdanovich, technical operations manager, Pinder Dosanjh, Michael Schneider, Doug Wong, Danilo Kuhn, and Giorgio Levy.

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At the beginning of August, QMI members Sergey Zhdanovich, Berend Zwartsenberg, Marta Zonno and Fabio Boschini visited the CLS to conduct the first test measurements to characterize the performance of the beamline. It was proved functional during the tests and data from the test results will be shared over the coming months. 

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Example photoemission measurement on samples of Sr2RuO4 (strontium ruthenate), a dataset that was taken during commissioning experiments of the QMSC beamline at the CLS in July by PhD student, Berend Zwartsenberg. The colour encodes the intensity of the photocurrent, with a linear scale indicated. 

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, ,,, , , , , , , QMI team members visited the CLS in August to conduct the first test measurements to characterize the performance of the beamline.

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Photos: Pinder Dosanjh