CAT-ACT-the hard X-ray beamline for CATalysis and ACTinide/radionuclide research at the KIT synchrotron radiation facility ANKA-is dedicated to X-ray spectroscopy, including "flux hungry" photon-in/photon-out and correlative techniques and combines state-of-the-art optics with a unique infrastructure for radionuclide and catalysis research. Measurements can be performed at photon energies varying between 3.4 keV and 55 keV, thus encompassing the actinide M- and L-edge or potassium K-edge up to the K-edges of the lanthanide series such as cerium. Well-established X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy in transmission and fluorescence detection modes is available in combination with high energy-resolution X-ray emission spectroscopy or X-ray diffraction techniques. The modular beamline design with two alternately operated in-line experimental stations enables sufficient flexibility to adapt sample environments and detection systems to many scientific challenges. The ACT experimental station focuses on various aspects of nuclear waste disposal within the mission of the Helmholtz association to contribute to the solution of one of the greatest scientific and social challenges of our time-the safe disposal of heat producing, highly radioactive waste forms from nuclear energy production. It augments present capabilities at the INE-Beamline by increasing the flux and extending the energy range into the hard X-ray regime. The CAT experimental station focuses on catalytic materials, e.g., for energy-related and exhaust gas catalysis. Characterization of catalytically active materials under realistic reaction conditions and the development of in situ and operando cells for sample environments close to industrial reactors are essential aspects at CAT.

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A synchrotron radiation source emits coherent infrared (IR) radiation when the electron bunch length is comparable to the wavelength of the emitted radiation (see for example [1,2]). To generate coherent radiation in the far IR (THz) region, a 'low alpha mode' has been devised at the ANKA storage ring operating at 1.3 GeV. The corresponding lattice has a significantly reduced momentum compaction factor. The spectral dependence of the emitted radiation is recorded at the ANKA-IR beam line, where the synchrotron light is produced in the fringe field of a bending magnet [3]. This edge radiation has the advantage of being more collimated than constant field radiation. This allows the observation of frequencies down to 1 cm −1 through a modest vertical aperture, which would not be possible with classical constant field emission due to the increasing beam divergence with decreasing frequency. The onset of coherent emission is found at a synchrotron frequency of about 10 kHz. At 5 kHz, an intensity enhancement of up to 5 orders of magnitude, with respect to the incoherent emission, is observed in the spectral range between 1 and 65 cm −1 .

A new compact versatile linear accelerator named FLUTE is currently being designed at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. This paper presents the status of this 42 MeV machine. It will be used to generate strong (several 100 MV/m) ultra-short (~1 ps) THz pulses (up to ~4-25 THz) for photon science experiments, as well as to conduct a variety of accelerator studies. The latter range from comparing different coherent THz radiation generation schemes to compressing electron bunches and studying the electron beam stability. The bunch charge will cover a wide range (~100 pC-3 nC). Later we plan to also produce ultra-short x-ray pulses from the electron bunches, which, for example, could then be combined for THz pump-x-ray probe experiments.