The Advanced Diffraction and Scattering (ADS) beamlines comprise two new high-energy X-ray diffraction beamlines currently under construction at the Australian Synchrotron. ADS-1 and ADS-2 will be the first beamlines at the Synchrotron to offer very hard X-rays (45–150 keV; λ = 0.08–0.27 Å) for diffraction experiments on a wide range of crystalline materials, including powders, single crystals, monoliths and heterogenous solid samples. The first ADS user experiments are expected to be scheduled in 2025.
The nature of high-energy radiation makes the ADS beamlines well-suited to experiments involving strongly-absorbing samples or sample environments, or where access to high momentum transfer (large Q/short d-spacings) is desirable. Pair distribution function (PDF) or total scattering analysis to elucidate local structure will be a standard offering. ADS will also cater to complex in situ experimental setups, with space provided in the endstations for user-supplied equipment in addition to standard non-ambient sample environments. Single-crystal diffraction experiments will be accommodated using a two-axis sample goniometer capable of supporting payloads up to ~2 kg. ADS-1 will offer both monochromatic and polychromatic beam modes to enable advanced material characterisations, including depth-resolved energy-dispersive diffraction, poly-grain texture and strain studies in bulk metals, and side-by-side X-ray imaging/tomography of diffraction samples.
This talk provides an update on the progress of construction of the ADS beamlines, as well as an overview of the capabilities planned for the ADS-1 and ADS-2 endstations. I will also discuss complementarity between ADS and the existing diffraction beamlines at the Australian Synchrotron (PD and MX) and give examples of science cases that will benefit from the unique characteristics of high-energy diffraction at ADS.