Benchmarking of electro-optic monitors for femtosecond electron bunches

The longitudinal profiles of ultrashort relativistic electron bunches at the soft x-ray free-electron laser FLASH have been investigated using two single-shot detection schemes: an electro-optic (EO) detector measuring the Coulomb field of the bunch and a radio-frequency structure transforming the charge distribution into a transverse streak. A comparison permits an absolute calibration of the EO technique. EO signals as short as 60 fs (rms) have been observed, which is a new record in the EO detection of single electron bunches and close to the limit given by the EO material properties.     

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.     

Observation of fine structures in laser-driven electron beams using coherent transition radiation

We have measured the coherent optical transition radiation emitted by an electron beam from laser-plasma interaction. The measurement of the spectrum of the radiation reveals fine structures of the electron beam in the range 400-1000 nm. These structures are reproduced using an electron distribution from a 3D particle-in-cell simulation and are attributed to microbunching of the electron bunch due to its interaction with the laser field. When the radiator is placed closer to the interaction point, spectral oscillations have also been recorded, signature of the interference of the radiation produced by two electron bunches delayed by 74 fs. The second electron bunch duration is shown to be ultrashort to match the intensity level of the radiation. Whereas transition radiation was used at longer wavelengths in order to estimate the electron bunch length, this study focuses on the ultrashort structures of the electron beam.     

Simulation study of electron injection into plasma wake fields by colliding laser pulses using OOPIC

An electron injector concept for a laser-plasma accelerator has been developed which relies on the use of counter propagating ultrashort laser pulses. In this paper, we use OOPIC the fully self-consistent, twodimensional, particle-in-cell code to make a parameter study to determine the bunches that can be obtained through collisions of two collinear laser pulses in uniform plasma. A series of simulations show that one can obtain a short (<10fs) bunch with its charge of about 15pC, and energy spread of about 15%. We also discussed the variation of the transverse spot size of the electron bunch and found the bunch would undergo the betatron oscillations.     

Temporal characterization of femtosecond laser-plasma-accelerated electron bunches using terahertz radiation

The temporal profile of relativistic laser-plasma-accelerated electron bunches has been characterized. Coherent transition radiation at THz frequencies, emitted at the plasma-vacuum boundary, was measured through electro-optic sampling. Frequencies up to the crystal detection limit of 4 THz were observed. Comparison between data and theory indicates that THz radiation from bunches with structure shorter than approximately = 50 fs (root-mean-square) is emitted. The measurement demonstrates both shot-to-shot stability of the laser-plasma accelerator and femtosecond synchronization between bunch and probe beam.     

Breakdown limits on Gigavolt-per-meter electron-beam-driven wakefields in dielectric structures

First measurements of the breakdown threshold in a dielectric subjected to GV/m wakefields produced by short (30-330 fs), 28.5 GeV electron bunches have been made. Fused silica tubes of 100 microm inner diameter were exposed to a range of bunch lengths, allowing surface dielectric fields up to 27 GV/m to be generated. The onset of breakdown, detected through light emission from the tube ends, is observed to occur when the peak electric field at the dielectric surface reaches 13.8+/-0.7 GV/m. The correlation of structure damage to beam-induced breakdown is established using an array of postexposure inspection techniques.     

相干衍射辐射在超短电子束团长度测量中的应用

利用相干衍射辐射(CDR)光学自相关技术在线无阻拦频域测量超短电子束团的长度是当前国际束测领域的研究热点. 文中分析和数值计算了利用上海应用物理研究所(SINAP)飞秒电子束装置提供的超短电子束团产生的宽带连续强CDR，介绍了超短电子束团长度测量的实验原理和装置示意，并研究了分束器对束团长度测量的影响. 结果表明，该束团可直接用于产生覆盖远红外至毫米波段的宽带连续强CDR；辐射能量主要集中在轴线附近，宏脉冲辐射能量可达毫焦耳量级；利用光学自相关技术研制的远红外Michelson干涉仪和Golay探测仪组成束团长度测量系统，通过实验测量CDR干涉图FWHM可近似求得超短束团长度；干涉图籍助傅立叶变换光谱法，可推算求得束团电子密度分布的信息.     

Single-shot terahertz pulse characterization via two-dimensional electro-optic imaging with dual echelons

A single-shot measurement of terahertz electromagnetic pulses is implemented using two-dimensional electro-optic imaging with dual echelon optics. The reported embodiment produces sequentially delayed multiprobe beamlets, routinely providing a time window of >10 ps with ~25 fs temporal step sizes. Because of its simplicity and robustness, the technique is ideally suited for real-time ultrashort relativistic electron bunch characterization.     

Simulation study of electron injection into plasma wake fields by colliding laser pulses using OOPIC

An electron injector concept for a laser-plasma accelerator has been developed which relies on the use of counter propagating ultrashort laser pulses. In this paper, we use OOPIC the fully self-consistent, two-dimensional, particle-in-cell code to make a parameter study to determine the bunches that can be obtained through collisions of two collinear laser pulses in uniform plasma. A series of simulations show that one can obtain a short (<10fs) bunch with its charge of about 15pC, and energy spread of about 15%. We also discussed the variation of the transverse spot size of the electron bunch and found the bunch would undergo the betatron oscillations.     

Single-shot electron-beam bunch length measurements

We report subpicosecond electro-optic measurements of the length of individual relativistic electron bunches. The longitudinal electron-bunch shape is encoded electro-optically on to the spectrum of a chirped laser pulse. The electron-bunch length is determined by analyzing individual laser-pulse spectra obtained with and without the presence of an electron bunch. Since the length of the chirped laser pulse can be easily changed, the electron bunch can be visualized on different time scales. This single-shot imaging technique is a promising method for real-time electron-bunch diagnostics.     

High-gradient plasma-wakefield acceleration with two subpicosecond electron bunches

A plasma-wakefield experiment is presented where two 60 MeV subpicosecond electron bunches are sent into a plasma produced by a capillary discharge. Both bunches are shorter than the plasma wavelength, and the phase of the second bunch relative to the plasma wave is adjusted by tuning the plasma density. It is shown that the second bunch experiences a 150 MeV/m loaded accelerating gradient in the wakefield driven by the first bunch. This is the first experiment to directly demonstrate high-gradient, controlled acceleration of a short-pulse trailing electron bunch in a high-density plasma.     

基于束流位置探测器的束团长度测量

分析了驱动电子束团的频域特性,研究了基于该特性进行长度测量的理论基础;使用三维模拟软件对束流位置探测器(BPM)进行建模,用模拟的方法对传输阻抗进行了数值计算;对不同长度的束团进行了测量和计算,并且分析了束团位置在真空管道中偏移对束团长度测量的影响。由测量结果可见,电子束团长度在10~100 ps(3~30 mm)时,测量误差均小于2%,满足中国工程物理研究院高平均功率自由电子激光太赫兹实验测量的使用要求。     

Transverse dynamics and bunch-to-bunch energy exchange in a dielectric-filled accelerating structure

The self-consistent transverse dynamics of high-current relativistic electron bunches used for generating wakefields in multiple-bunch schemes of wakefield acceleration, which are applied in dielectric-filled structures, is studied. The flight range of the electron bunch under no-focusing conditions and the energy transferred to the bunch being accelerated in schemes with profiled (nonuniform) and uniform distributions of the charge over a sequence of generator bunches are determined. Requirements are formulated for a focusing system in which the profiled distribution offers an advantage over the uniform distribution for the efficiency of energy transfer from generator bunches to that being accelerated.     

Femtosecond X-ray generation through relativistic electron beam–laser interaction

Methods for generating ultra-short X-rays using the interaction of intense laser pulses with relativistic electron beams, and their application to measuring ultra-fast phenomena in solid state materials, are reviewed. Two different methods that use a long electron bunch and short laser pulse are discussed: Thomson scattering and optical slicing which have been implemented on linac and storage ring beams, respectively. The possibility of generating ultrashort electrons bunches from laser-plasma injectors is discussed.     

Micro-bunch production with radio frequency photoinjectors

In this paper we discuss the generation of ultra-short electron bunches using laser-driven RF guns. The designs are tailored for future plasma accelerators. Second generation plasma accelerators are expected to be very demanding in terms of bunch length, since the accelerated beam is expected to be short with respect to the wavelength of the excited Langmuir space-charge plasma wave. Since the anticipated wavelength ranges from 100 to 300 μm, 10-50 μm-long bunches are required with a bunch population of the order of 10⁸ particles. The laser-driven RF gun is a promising candidate to attain such beams. The rationale for this choice as well as the main limitations in terms of minimum bunch length will be analyzed and discussed in the following. Two possible configurations are evaluated: the direct production at the photocathode surface of ultra-short electron bunches by illumination of the cathode with 160-fs-long laser pulses and the acceleration of a 1-ps electron bunch with further magnetic compression in a wiggler     

Transition radiation of surface electromagnetic waves by electron bunches in a cylindrical waveguide

Transition surface electromagnetic radiation from electron bunches that cross a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure in a perfectly conducting semi-infinite cylindrical waveguide is studied. It is shown that, using a periodic sequence (train) of electron bunches, a particular surface waveguide eigenmode can be amplified by bringing its frequency to resonance with the bunch repetition frequency in the train. Those eigenmodes are amplified most efficiently whose frequency falls into the range occupied by the first maximum of the geometric factor of one bunch.     

Plasma-based accelerator diagnostics based upon longitudinalinterferometry with ultrashort optical pulses

All-optical ultrafast time-resolved plasma diagnostics of plasma-based accelerators (PBA's) are described, with emphasis on the laser wakefield accelerator (LWFA). Specifically, the diagnostic techniques involve replacing the trailing particle bunch in the LWFA with a trailing photon bunch: a weak ultrashort laser pulse. Since this photon pulse is derived directly from the intense pump pulse, practical difficulties such as synchronization and dephasing are eliminated. The interaction of the photon bunch with the plasma wake is essentially a simple time-domain shift in optical phase, which can produce both “DC” phase shifts and frequency blue/red-shifting of the probe pulse spectrum. These phase/frequency shifts are recorded in frequency domain interferograms, which are formally equivalent to time-domain holograms. Experimental results of longitudinal plasma density profiling are presented in which plasma density oscillations (Langmuir waves) in the wake of an intense (I_peak~3×10 ¹⁷ W/cm²) laser pulse (~100 fs) were measured with ultrafast time resolution. Phase shifts consistent with large amplitude (~80%) density oscillations at the electron plasma frequency were observed in a fully tunnel-ionized He plasma, corresponding to longitudinal electric fields of ~10 GV/m. Strong radial ponderomotive forces enhance the density oscillations. Finally, proposed single-shot schemes for simultaneous transverse and longitudinal profiling are discussed     

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.     

Controlled collective acceleration of electron-ion bunches

The fundamental possibility of a new method for controlled collective ion acceleration by electron bunches of high-current relativistic picosecond beams has been proved. Dense relativistically rotating electron bunches are formed using a cusp magnetic system by their capture in a special magnetic trap. An electron bunch is filled with ions when it interacts with a preliminarily prepared plasma bunch with a certain density. Then, the effective potential well of the magnetic trap is stepwise shifted synchronously with the motion of ions by means of a system of turns with controlled currents. This ensures the displacement and confinement of electrons in the direction of acceleration. The shift of the center of the well at each step is chosen such that ions are in the region of acceleration by a high self electric field of the electron bunch. In contrast to the known methods for collective acceleration, the proposed method makes it possible to avoid the mismatch of the electron and ion components of bunches, disruption of the acceleration of ions, and development of numerous instabilities, because the duration of the acceleration cycle is in the nanosecond range.     

Subpicosecond electro-optic measurement of relativistic electron pulses

Time-resolved measurements of the transverse electric field associated with relativistic electron bunches are presented. Using an ultrafast electro-optic sensor close to the electron beam, the longitudinal profile of the electric field was measured with subpicosecond time resolution and without time-reversal ambiguity. Results are shown for two cases: inside the vacuum beam line in the presence of wake fields, and in air behind a beryllium window, effectively probing the near-field transition radiation. Especially in the latter case, reconstruction of the longitudinal electron bunch shape is straightforward.