The experimental set-up at SpLine (BM25A, ESRF) to measure XMCD by using a diamond X-ray phase retarder to obtain circularly polarized X-rays is described.
Circularly polarized X-rays produced by a diamond X-ray phase retarder of thickness 0.5 mm in the Laue transmission configuration have been used for recording X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) on the bending-magnet beamline BM25A (SpLine) at the ESRF. Field reversal and helicity reversal techniques have been used to carry out the measurements. The performance of the experimental set-up has been demonstrated by recording XMCD in the energy range from 7 to 11 keV.