Open facility to shared use.

Finished construction of experiment/research building

The 5th XFEL symposium was held.

The installation of electron gun, acceleration tubes, undulators began.

Construction of the accelerator building and the undulator building finished.

XFEL facility construction began.

An instrument is developed for the first time in the world which is able to instantly measure the spectrum (color) of XFEL-emitted radiation.

RIKEN and Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI) establish joint promotion office for the XFEL project.

Establishment of XFEL Project Head Office First general convention of federation of National Diet members for the promotion of optical science technology projects promotes advancement of XFEL project.

RIKEN SPring-8 Center Advisory Council (RSAC) notes that the combined XFEL and Spring-8 facilities will be unique and that Japan should take a leading role by constructing the XFEL.

National government allocates 2.3 billion yen from the 2006 national budget for construction and research on use of the XFEL facility.

An electron beam successfully projected through the entire length of the test apparatus and generation of synchrotron radiation confirmed.

Working group to review the next-generation synchrotron light source project concludes in its mid-term report that “the XFEL plan should be actively carried forward and the project should be started at an early date”.

Establishment of an XFEL user promotion group.

Manufacture of a 250MeV test apparatus begins. Liberal Democratic Party’s MEXT working group designates the next-generation synchrotron radiation source as a “critical technology of national importance”.

XFEL project included as an important research objective for future R&D in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) policy report on promoting science and technology of light and photons.

Establishment of an R&D group for XFEL.

Completion of an electron gun and the achievement of a world record for its emittance value.

RIKEN symposium is held.

Completion of an in-vacuum undulator with a shorter period and higher magnetic field.

Drafting of the XFEL development concept (compact and low-cost).