Possible application of X-ray optical elements for reducing the spectral bandwidth of an X-ray SASE FEL

A new design for a single pass X-ray Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) FEL is proposed. The scheme consists of two undulators and an X-ray monochromator located between them. The first stage of the FEL amplifier operates in the SASE linear regime. After the exit of the first undulator the electron bunch is guided through a non-isochronous bypass and the X-ray beam enters the monochromator. The main function of the bypass is to suppress the modulation of the electron beam induced in the first undulator. This is possible because of the finite value of the natural energy spread in the beam. At the entrance to the second undulator the radiation power from the monochromator dominates significantly over the shot noise and the residual electron bunching. As a result the second stage of the FEL amplifier operates in the steady-state regime when the input signal bandwidth is small with respect to that of the FEL amplifier. Integral losses of the radiation power in the monochromator are relatively small because grazing incidence optics can be used. The proposed scheme is illustrated for the example of the 6 nm option SASE FEL at the TESLA Test Facility under construction at DESY. As shown in this paper the spectral bandwidth of such a two-stage SASE FEL (Δλ/λ 5 × 10⁻⁵) is close to the limit defined by the finite duration of the radiation pulse. The average brilliance is equal to 7 × 10²⁴ photons/(s × mrad² × mm² × 0.1% bandw.) which is by two orders of magnitude higher than the value which could be reached by the conventional SASE FEL. The monochromatization of the radiation is performed at a low level of radiation power (about 500 times less than the saturation level) which allows one to use conventional X-ray optical elements (grazing incidence grating and mirrors) for the monochromator design.     

Diagnostic technique applied for FEL electron bunches

Diagnostic technique applied for FEL ultrashort electron bunches is developed at JINR-DESY collaboration within the framework of the FLASH and XFEL projects. Photon diagnostics are based on calorimetric measurements and detection of undulator radiation. The infrared undulator constructed at JINR and installed at FLASH is used for longitudinal bunch shape measurements and for two-color lasing provided by the FIR and VUV undulators. The pump probe experiments with VUV and FIR undulators provide the bunch profile measurements with resolution of several femtosecond. The new three microchannel plates (MCP) detectors operated in X-ray range are under development now in JINR for SASE1-SASE 3 European XFEL.     

Fully coherent x-ray pulses from a regenerative-amplifier free-electron laser

We propose and analyze a regenerative-amplifier free-electron laser (FEL) to produce fully coherent, hard x-ray pulses. The method makes use of narrow-bandwidth Bragg crystals to form an x-ray feedback loop around a relatively short undulator. Self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) from the leading electron bunch in a bunch train is spectrally filtered by the Bragg reflectors and is brought back to the beginning of the undulator to interact repeatedly with subsequent bunches in the bunch train. The FEL interaction with these short bunches regeneratively amplifies the radiation intensity and broadens its spectrum, allowing for effective transmission of the x rays outside the crystal bandwidth. The spectral brightness of these x-ray pulses is about 2 to 3 orders of magnitude higher than that from a single-pass SASE FEL.     

强场X射线激光物理

相干X光,特别是X射线自由电子激光技术的发展提供了一种新的产生超强光场的途径.由于其较高的光子能量、高峰值功率密度与超短的脉冲长度,有望将强场激光物理从可见光波段推进到X光波段.目前,基于X射线的非线性原子分子物理已取得了初步进展,随着X射线光强的提升,相互作用将进入相对论物理、强场量子电动力学(quantum electrodynamics,QED)物理等领域,为激光驱动加速与辐射、QED真空、暗物质的产生与探测等带来新的科学发现机会.本文对强场X射线激光在固体中的尾场加速、真空极化、轴子的产生与探测等方面进行介绍,旨在阐明X射线波段强场物理在若干基础前沿与关键应用方面的独特优势,并对未来的发展方向进行展望.     

First Observation of z-Dependent Electron-Beam Microbunching Using Coherent Transition Radiation

We report the first measurements of the electron-beam microbunching z dependence in a self-amplified spontaneous-emission (SASE) free-electron laser (FEL) experiment by the observation of visible wavelength coherent transition radiation (CTR). In this case the fundamental SASE wavelength was at 537 nm, and the CTR exhibited an exponential intensity growth similar to the SASE radiation. In addition, we observed for the first time structure in the CTR angular distribution patterns that may be useful for optimizing SASE FEL performance.     

Generation of GW radiation pulses from a VUV free-electron laser operating in the femtosecond regime

Experimental results are presented from vacuum-ultraviolet free-electron laser (FEL) operating in the self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) mode. The generation of ultrashort radiation pulses became possible due to specific tailoring of the bunch charge distribution. A complete characterization of the linear and nonlinear modes of the SASE FEL operation was performed. At saturation the FEL produces ultrashort pulses (30-100 fs FWHM) with a peak radiation power in the GW level and with full transverse coherence. The wavelength was tuned in the range of 95-105 nm.     

Experimental characterization of nonlinear harmonic radiation from a visible self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser at saturation

Nonlinear harmonic radiation was observed using the VISA self-amplified, spontaneous emission (SASE) free-electron laser (FEL) at saturation. The gain lengths, spectra, and energies of the three lowest SASE FEL modes were experimentally characterized. The measured nonlinear harmonic gain lengths and center spectral wavelengths decrease with harmonic number, n, which is consistent with nonlinear harmonic theory. Both the second and third nonlinear harmonics energies are about 1% of the fundamental energy. These experimental results demonstrate for the first time the feasibility of using nonlinear harmonic SASE FEL radiation to produce coherent, femtosecond x rays.     

磁压缩对高频稳定性的要求

 曲柄式磁压缩系统是北京大学SASE自由电子激光装置中非常重要的部分，通过其对电子束团的压缩为扭摆器提供高流强、短脉冲的电子束，使电子束在扭摆器内较短的距离实现饱和出光。曲柄式磁压缩需要利用偏离高频峰位的加速相位使得电子束产生能量-位置关联，主要讨论高频相位抖动与能量-位置关联的相互关系，高频相位抖动使得束团的能量-位置关联不同，即束团内电子能量随位置分布不同。进而研究其对磁压缩性能的影响，即能量-位置关联不一样会导致磁压缩得到的束团长度出现涨落。     

A Far Infrared Super Radiant FEL

The basic physics, results of 3–D simulations, and relevant parameters for the design of a far infrared FEL, which operates in the SASE superradiant short bunch regime, are presented. It is shown that a quite interesting device can be easily developed, with rather new features, producing coherent laser pulses with ∼10 psec duration and around 7 MW peak power.     

Practical application of cross correlation technique to measure jitter of master-oscillator-power-amplifier (MOPA) laser system

The Linac coherent light source (LCLS) at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) is the world’s first hard X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) and is capable of producing high-energy, femtosecond duration X-ray pulses. A common technique to study fast timescale physical phenomena, various “pump/probe” techniques are used. In these techniques there are two lasers, one optical and one X-ray, that work as a pump and as a probe to study dynamic processes in atoms and molecules. In order to resolve phenomena that occur on femtosecond timescales, it is imperative to have very precise timing between the optical lasers and X-rays (on the order of ～20 fs or better). The lasers are synchronized to the same RF source that drives the accelerator and produces the X-ray laser. However, elements in the lasers cause some drift and time jitter, thereby de-synchronizing the system. This paper considers cross-correlation technique as a way to quantify the drift and jitter caused by the regenerative amplifier of the ultrafast optical laser.     

First observation of self-amplified spontaneous emission in a free-electron laser at 109 nm wavelength

We present the first observation of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) in a free-electron laser (FEL) in the vacuum ultraviolet regime at 109 nm wavelength (11 eV). The observed free-electron laser gain (approximately 3000) and the radiation characteristics, such as dependency on bunch charge, angular distribution, spectral width, and intensity fluctuations, are all consistent with the present models for SASE FELs.     

Fully coherent hard X-ray generation by two-stage phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation

Cascading stages of seeded free electron lasers (FELs) is a promising way to produce fully coherent X-ray radiation. We study a new approach to produce coherent hard X-rays by cascading the recently proposed phase-merging enhanced harmonic generation (PEHG) The scheme consists of one dogleg and two PEHG configurations, and may be one of the leading candidates for the extracted undulator branch in future X-ray FEL facilities. FEL physics studies show that such a scheme is feasible within the present technology and can provide high brightness X-ray radiation pulses with narrow bandwidth and full coherence The radiated peak power at 1 Å wavelength converted from an initial 200 nm seed laser is over 2 GW.     

Generation of Coherent Radiation in the Near X-Ray Band by a Cascade FEL with a Two-Frequency Undulator

Generation of X-ray radiation in a cascade self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser (SASE FEL) using the harmonics of a two-frequency undulator is studied. The advanced phenomenological model of a one-pass FEL that accounts for the main losses in real FELs is presented: the electron energy spread in the beam, the beam divergence, diffraction, and the fact that emission losses are greater at higher harmonics than in the main frequency range. The FEL mathematical model was performed using the Mathematica software and calibrated within the experiment carried out at the operating SPARC facility via complex three-dimensional numerical simulations. The phenomenological model is used to analyze FEL dynamics for generation of a high-energy X-ray emission at a relatively short length. It is proposed to use a two-frequency undulator for the initial electron grouping and subsequent frequency multiplication in a cascade FEL with higher harmonic amplification (HGHG). The advantages of the two-frequency undulator are presented for electron grouping at higher harmonics of the undulator radiation (UR). The operation of several types of FEL is simulated with amplification of the seed laser wave frequency in two and three cascades to generate the soft X-ray radiation. A seed laser with a wavelength of 11.43 nm corresponding to the peak reflectivity of mirror coatings with MoRu/Be is proposed for generating the intensive X-ray laser radiation with λ ~ 1.27–3.37 nm. Here, the intensive radiation power reaches 50 MW at a length of only 35 meters; the radiation shows good temporal coherence corresponding to the performance of a low-power seed laser with a lower frequency.     

Diagnoctics development at JINR for ILC and FEL ultrashort electron bunches

Different methods for diagnostics of ultrashort electron bunches are developed at JINR-DESY collaboration within the framework of the FLASH and XFEL projects and JINR participation in the ILC project. The main peculiarity of these accelerator complexes is related to formation of ultrashort electron bunches with r.m.s. length 20–300 μm. Novel diagnostics is required to provide femtoscaie time resolution in the modem FEL like FLASH and future XFEL and ILC projects. Photon diagnostics developed at JINR-DESY collaboration for ultrashort bunches is based on calorimetric measurements and detection of undulator radiation. The MCP-based radiation detectors are effectively used at FLASH for pulse energy measurements. The infrared undulator constructed at JINR and installed at FLASH is used for longitudinal bunch shape measurements and for two-color lasing provided by the FIR and VUV undulators. Two-color lasing in pump-probe experiments permits one to investigate dynamics of atomic and molecular systems with time resolution of 100–500 fs. A special magnetic spectrometer is planning to be used at ILC for measurements of average electron energy in each bunch. The first test spectrometer measurements were performed within the JINR-DESY-SLAC collaboration. A special synchrotron radiation detector applied for measurement of bunch average electron energy was constructed at JINR.     

Self-seeded FEL wavelength extension with high-gain harmonic generation

We study a self-seeded high-gain harmonic generation(HGHG) free-electron laser(FEL) scheme to extend the wavelength of a soft X-ray FEL. This scheme uses a regular self-seeding monochromator to generate a seed laser at the wavelength of 1.52 nm, followed by a HGHG configuration to produce coherent, narrow-bandwidth harmonic radiations at the GW level. The 2nd and 3rd harmonic radiation is investigated with start-to-end simulations.Detailed studies of the FEL performance and shot-to-shot fluctuations are presented.     

储存环自由电子激光相干谐波实验的同步系统

 为了获得短波长自由电子激光(FEL),可以使储存环中的相对论性电子与外加强激光脉冲在光学速调管中充分耦合,从而产生高次谐波的相干辐射。为使耦合充分,必须使电子束团与激光脉冲在时间和空间上完全同步。其中空间上的同步可通过调节外激光的光路来实现,给出了实现时间上同步的一种方案。     

Time-resolved phase measurement of a self-amplified free-electron laser

We report on the first time-resolved phase measurement on self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) free-electron laser (FEL) pulses. We observed that the spikes in the output of such free-electron laser pulses have an intrinsic positive chirp. We also observed that the energy chirp in the electron bunch mapped directly into the FEL output. Under certain conditions, the two chirps cancel each other. The experimental result was compared with simulations and interpreted with SASE theory.     

A simple method for timing an XFEL source to high-power lasers

We propose a technique for timing an X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) to a high-power conventional laser with femtosecond accuracy, yielding the relative jitter between pump and X-ray probe, and allowing sorting of experimental results over a certain time window. The same electron bunch is used to produce both an XFEL pulse and an ultrashort optical pulse by means of an optical radiator downstream of the X-ray undulator. Being produced by the same electron bunch, these pulses are perfectly synchronized. Cross-correlation techniques will allow to determine relative jitter between the optical pulse (and, thus, the XFEL pulse) and a pulse from an external pump-laser. Technical realization of the proposed timing scheme uses an optical-replica synthesizer setup to be installed after the final bunch-compression stage of the XFEL for electron bunch diagnostics purposes. A number of critical issues are quantitatively analyzed.     

Measurement of bunch length evolution in electron beam macropulse of S-band linac using coherent edge radiation

Intense coherent edge radiation (CER) with a power of 0.10 mW was observed in a straight line with an undulator of Kyoto University Free Electron Laser (KU-FEL). To investigate the evolution of a bunch length in a macropulse of an electron beam, a technique was developed using the CER beam. The measured air-extracted CER beam profile has a hollow structure resembling the first-order Laguerre–Gaussian mode with asymmetric intensity in horizontal direction. It roughly agrees with the profile calculated considering the effective area of a deflection mirror employed to extract the beam from the FEL optical cavity into air. The root-mean-squared (RMS) bunch length determined from a measured spectrum of the CER beam is 60 μm for an electron-beam macropulse. Changes in the CER intensity in the electron-beam macropulse were measured by diode detectors with short time constants at two frequencies. The evolution of the RMS bunch length was determined using the ratio of the CER intensity at the two frequencies. It could be concluded that the evolution correlated with the macropulse structure of the FEL power. Therefore, measuring the evolution of the CER intensity at multiple frequencies proved useful to control FEL macropulses.     

The FEL SASE operation, bunch compression and the beam heater

We discuss the conditions required for an optimal SASE FEL operation when bunch compression techniques are exploited to enhance the bunch peak current. We discuss the case of velocity bunching and magnetic bunch compression. With reference to the latter technique we provide a quantitative estimate of the amount of laser heater power necessary to suppress the micro-bunching instability without creating any problem to the SASE dynamics.