Since its 2009 launch, LCLS has drawn researchers in a wide array of scientific fields from around the globe to explore the innermost workings and properties of common and exotic materials at the nanoscale. Scientists face intense competition for approval of experiments at LCLS; they typically join forces in large collaborations to submit proposals, and fewer than one in four experiments are accepted on average. To accommodate more world-class research, plans are already in progress for a second X-ray laser, LCLS-II.

LCLS features seven specialized instrument stations, each with a dedicated team of scientists and support staff, to conduct pioneering research and assist users with experiments. Each station is equipped with a suite of instruments to assist in gathering a wide range of data using various specialized techniques, from telltale signatures of electrons and ions to the intricate patterns left by crystallized samples struck by the X-ray laser.