An
insertion device (ID) is a component in modern
synchrotron light sources, so called because they are "inserted" into accelerator track. They are periodic magnetic structures that stimulate highly brilliant, forward-directed
synchrotron radiation emission by forcing a stored charged particle beam to perform wiggles, or undulations, as they pass through the device. This motion is caused by the
Lorentz force, and it is from this oscillatory motion that we get the names for the two classes of device, which are known as
wigglers and
undulators. As well as creating a brighter light, some insertion devices enable tuning of the light so that different frequencies can be generated for different applications.