Vertical undulator emittance measurement: A statistical approach

Direct measurement of low vertical emittance in storage rings is typically achieved via interferometric techniques. Proof of low vertical emittance is demonstrated by the measurement of a null radiation field, which is also the crux of the vertical undulator emittance measurement. Here we present strategies to improve the sensitivity to low vertical emittance beams. We move away from photon spectrum analysis to a statistical analysis of undulator radiation, showing the measured increase in signal-to-background. Reproducing simulations of previous work, we demonstrate that photon beam polarisation extends the linearity of the technique by several decades in emittance. These statistical and polarisation improvements to the signal-to-background allow realistic measurement of smallest vertical emittance.