Synchrotron infrared microscopy at the French Synchrotron Facility SOLEIL

The new French Synchrotron Facility SOLEIL is constructing two beamlines for infrared spectroscopy, one of them being dedicated to microscopy (beamline SMIS), and the second for far-infrared spectroscopy. The IR beamlines will collect both edge radiation (ER) and bending magnet radiation (BM), from a special port providing 20 mrad vertically, 78 mrad horizontally acceptance. Issues with the first mirror and photon mask, as well as the beamline layout and features are discussed. Ray tracing and SRW simulations of the beam propagation have been used to optimize the optical parameters of this beamline, and for separating the beam, after passing through the diamond window, into two branches. Two infrared microscopes will be coupled to each of the branch, for simultaneous operation.