A dedicated beamline for wide-energy-range X-ray spectroscopy at SSRF: combining soft and hard X-ray capabilities

The advancement of renewable energy critically depends on the rational design of catalysts, which necessitates a thorough understanding of the underlying materials. At Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility (SSRF), the Energy Material beamline (E-line) has been established with three independent endstations - soft X-ray, hard X-ray and a combined soft/hard station - dedicated to fundamental studies of photovoltaic and catalytic processes, energy conversion mechanisms and related phenomena. Covering a broad photon energy range from 130 eV to 10000 eV, the combined endstation is specifically designed for in situ photoemission spectroscopy, enabling layer-by-layer analysis of materials and devices. Through techniques such as wide-range hard X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (HAXPES) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), this endstation provides comprehensive insights into the chemical and electronic properties of catalysts. This report outlines the layout of the combined soft/hard beamline and the endstation, and evaluates its performance in terms of photon flux, energy resolution and representative applications in model catalysis. In particular, the use of in situ X-ray photoemission spectroscopy/HAXPES is expected to significantly advance the fundamental understanding of functional materials, thereby accelerating the development of efficient, reliable and affordable renewable energy solutions.