`Spiking' radiation in the Columbia free electron laser

A report is presented on the observation of spikes of high-intensity radiation emitted from a 2-mm wavelength Raman free electron laser oscillator. The spikes are correlated with a well-developed sideband spectrum, including several sideband harmonics, together with the carrier. A pulse width ~150 ps is obtained from analysis of data obtained with a two-slit Young's experiment. An even shorter pulse width results from a numerical model. Using an elementary model of the spike, it is estimated that the peak spike pulse power is ~100 MW