Demonstration of high-performance pole pieces made of monocrystalline dysprosium for short-period undulators.

Reported here are the results of experiments carried out to demonstrate the magnetic performance of dysprosium (Dy) to enhance the capability of undulators. Tiny pieces of monocrystalline Dy surrounded by permanent magnets (PMs) work as pole pieces (PPs) to concentrate the magnetic flux, when cooled down below the Curie temperature of 85K. A PP made of Dy is much more attractive than one made of a conventional material, because its saturation magnetization is much higher. Furthermore, it also allows for a more flexible selection of PM material, potentially leading to further enhancement of the performance of short-period undulators. Besides these advantages, practical issues related to using Dy PPs and countermeasures against them are discussed.