A
wiggler is an
insertion device in a
synchrotron. It is a series of magnets designed to periodically laterally deflect ('wiggle') a beam of charged particles (invariably
electrons or
positrons) inside a
storage ring of a synchrotron. These deflections create a change in acceleration which in turn produces emission of broad
synchrotron radiation tangent to the curve, much like that of a
bending magnet, but the intensity is higher due to the contribution of many
magnetic dipoles in the wiggler. Furthermore, as the wavelength (λ) is decreased this means the frequency (ƒ) has increased. This increase of frequency is directly proportional to energy, hence, the wiggler creates a wavelength of light with a larger energy.