MODPL06
SLAC, Menlo Park, California, USA
The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), a US Department of Energy Office of Science user facility, achieved first light in 2009; a total of seven scientific instruments were commissioned through 2015. The EPICS-based control system, in terms of both hardware and software has evolved significantly over eight years of operation as the rate of experiment delivery has increased through means such as photon-beam multiplexing. A description of the upgrades and improvements to hardware, software, tools, and procedures will be presented. Additional discussion points will focus on: (1) the positive effect of upgrades regarding reduction of staffing levels and required skill-level required to support operations; (2) enabling highly skilled staff to focus on further improvements; and (3) current and future upgrades required to support the LCLS-II which will further expand experiment output when it achieves first light in 2020. LCLS-II topics include requirements for automation of routine tasks such as x-ray and optical-laser beam alignment, and focusing as well as improvements to user-interfaces and user-experience which will allow users and non-expert staff to execute experiments.
WEAPL06
SLAC, Menlo Park, California, USA
SLAC, Menlo Park, California, USA
The hard x-ray split and delay (HXRSnD) system at the Linear Coherent Light Source (LCLS) was designed to allow for experiments requiring two-pulse based x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. The system consists of eight silicon crystals split between two optical branches, with over 30 degrees of freedom. To maintain system stability and safety while easing system operation, we expand the LCLS Skywalker software suite to provide a python-based automation scheme that handles alignment, operations and engineer notification. Core safety systems such as collision avoidance are processed at the controller and Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System (EPICS) layer. Higher level functionality is implemented using a stack of open-source python packages (ophyd, bluesky, transitions) which provide a comprehensive and robust operational environment consisting of virtual motors, plans and finite state machines (FSM).
