IR spectroscopic possibilities with the Rossendorf free-electron laser

The free-electron laser (FEL) facility at the Research Center Rossendorf will span the wavelength range from 5 µm to 150 µm. Driven by the superconducting linear accelerator ELBE (up to 40 MeV electron energies, bunch charge of 77 pC) the FEL will provide a continuous pulse train at 13 MHz with pulsewidths of 0.5 ps to 10 ps and pulse energies in the µJ range. These pulses will be used for time-resolved spectroscopy, nonlinear optics and optical near-field spectroscopy by three in-house groups working on semiconductors, bio-molecules and cells. We will describe the status of the FEL and of the experimental facilities. The combination of the FEL with high magnetic fields will represent unique experimental possibilities. These will be discussed with emphasis on semiconductor physics.