A single-shot transmissive spectrometer for hard x-ray free electron lasers

We report hard x-ray single-shot spectral measurements of the Linac Coherent Light Source. The spectrometer is based on a 10 mu m thick cylindrically bent Si single crystal operating in the symmetric Bragg geometry to provide dispersion and high transmission simultaneously. It covers a spectral range >1% using the Si(111) reflection. Using the Si(333) reflection, it reaches a resolving power of better than 42 000 and transmits >83% of the incident flux at 8.3 keV. The high resolution enabled the observation of individual spectral spikes characteristic of a self-amplified spontaneous emission x-ray free electron laser source. Potential applications of the device are discussed. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4736725]