Ultra-Short Electron and Radiation Pulses in Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission Free Electron Lasers

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

This proposal requests support for a university-based Physics Accelerator Research and Development (R&D) program designed to address several opportunities in experimental free-electron lasers and high brightness beam physics. These opportunities have arisen from two sources: (1) the completion and upcoming commissioning of a magnetic chicane compressor built at UCLA for the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) at BNL; and (2) the restart of the Visible to Infrared SASE Amplifier (VISA) self-amplified spontaneous emission free electron laser (SASE FEL) at the ATF. The proposed experimental program will allow this collaboration to investigate the physics of ultra-short electron beam production using chicane compression, and the generation of sub-picosecond (ps) radiation pulses from the SASE FEL process. These topics are at the frontier of beam physics today, and provide a rich context for university-based scholarly research. The proposed investigations are critical to the current development of 4th generation X-ray light sources which utilize SASE FELs, such as those at Stanford and DESY (Hamburg). In addition, they also impact high average power FELs, energy recovery linac (ERL) based light source systems, high energy physics linear colliders, and advanced (laser and plasma based) accelerators. These investigations are of critical importance to the development of the X-ray SASE FEL as the physical systems under test are shared: high brightness electron injector, sub-ps compressor, dogleg transport, and highly optimized undulator. The development of this comprehensive approach to address more sophisticated issues in high brightness beam-based radiation production will significantly aid in laying the scientific basis for the X-ray SASE FEL and other cutting edge accelerator systems.