A scripting LabVIEW based program for experiment automation in synchrotron radiation applications

Abstract

We have established a soft X-ray beamline and an end-station for the material research community, multiple experiment techniques have been implemented to satisfy the applications in synchrotron radiation, and the challenge is to get control of many commercial instruments from different vendors shipping with various control software in a single experiment platform. A LabVIEW based program has been developed for such purpose to allow automation of multiple experiments including angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, near edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy with detection of total electron yield and Auger electron yield, constant final state spectroscopy, constant initial state spectroscopy, and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism. The option of scan-on-the-fly mode for photon energy and magnetic field scans can reduce measurement time effectively. This program has become a necessary tool in routine measurements with numerous applications, of which we present several examples.