Donald A. Byrd

Demonstration of ultraviolet lasing with a low energy electron beam

Abstract We report on the design details of the first ultraviolet (UV) free-electron laser (FEL) oscillator driven by low-energy electrons from a radio-frequency linear accelerator. In our experiment we used a high-current, high brightness electron beam in combination with a wiggler of novel design to produce an FEL that lased at wavelengths from 369 to 380 nm using 45.9–45.2 MeV electrons. In addition we performed a proof-of-principle experiment that demonstrated the first ever photolithography on a photoresist-coated silicon wafer using an FEL light source.

Initial results from the Los Alamos photoinjector-driven free-electron laser☆

Abstract We report initial results on the APEX (APLE prototype experiment) photoinjector-driven infrared free-electron laser (FEL). The APEX FEL is operating in support of a Boeing Aerospace and Electronics/Los Alamos National Laboratory collaboration to build the average power laser experiment (APLE). Our system uses a high quantum efficiency (3–7%) multi-alkali photocathode, illuminated with a frequency-doubled Nd:YLF mode locked laser at 21.7 MHz. The photocathode is located in this first cell of a six-cell 1.3 GHz, 6 MeV photoinjector that feeds a linac with a final energy up to 40 MeV. Because the illuminating laser pulse on our photocathode is short (10 ps), no pulse compression is required in the linac. Emittance measurements made after the second linac tank at 15 MeV have shown that a normalized emittance (for 90% of the particles) of less than 50π mm mrad can be achieved at a peak micropulse current of 300 A. Our initial lasing has been at a wavelength of 3.6 μm over a 30 μs macropulse with an electron beam energy of 35 MeV and a 2.7 cm period permanent magnet wiggler. We are continuing to characterize and optimize our system, with particular emphasis on understanding and minimizing electron beam emittance-growth mechanisms, and subsequently improving the quality of the beam delivered to the wiggler.

Final results of the Boeing and Los Alamos grazing incidence ring-resonator free electron laser experiment

Abstract Initial test results for the Boeing and Los Alamos grazing incidence ring-resonator FEL were presented at the 1990 FEL Conference. This work showed that the resonator pointing alignment accurcy required improvements to the resonator diagnostics to increase the alignment accuracy. The alignment technique was described, but lasing results with the more accurate alignment were not available at that time. This paper discusses more recent and final test results from the grazing-incidence ring-resonator experiment. With the new alignment techniques, the extraction was approximately seven times greater, and the FEL output exhibited much reduced temporal structure. Measurements show that FEL output and wavelength are sensitive to electron beam energy variations.

Multispectral Thermal Imager optical assembly performance and integration of the flight focal plane assembly

The Multispectral Thermal Imager Optical Assembly (OA) has been fabricated, assembled, successfully performance tested, and integrated into the flight payload structure with the flight Focal Plane Assembly (FPA) integrated and aligned to it. This represents a major milestone achieved towards completion of this earth observing E-O imaging sensor that is to be operated in low earth orbit. The OA consists of an off- axis three mirror anastigmatic (TMA) telescope with a 36 cm unobscured clear aperture, a wide-field-of-view (WFOV) of 1.82 degrees along the direction of spacecraft motion and 1.38 degree across the direction of spacecraft motion. It also contains a comprehensive on-board radiometric calibration system. The OA is part of a multispectral pushbroom imaging sensor which employs a single mechanically cooled focal plane with 15 spectral bands covering a wavelength range from 0.45 to 10.7 micrometer. The OA achieves near diffraction-limited performance from visible to the long-wave infrared (LWIR) wavelengths. The two major design drivers for the OA are 80% enpixeled energy in the visible bands and radiometric stability. Enpixeled energy in the visible bands also drove the alignment of the FPA detectors to the OA image plane to a requirement of less than plus or minus 20 micrometer over the entire visible detector field of view (FOV). Radiometric stability requirements mandated a cold Lyot stop for stray light rejection and thermal background reduction. The Lyot stop is part of the FPA assembly and acts as the aperture stop for the imaging system. The alignment of the Lyot stop to the OA drove the centering and to some extent the tilt alignment requirements of the FPA to the OA.

Design, manufacture, and calibration of infrared radiometric blackbody sources

A radiometric calibration station (RCS) is being assembled at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) which will allow for calibration of sensors with detector arrays having spectral capability from about 0.4-15 micrometers. The configuration of the LANL RCS is shown. Two blackbody sources have been designed to cover the spectral range from about 3-15 micrometers, operating at temperatures ranging from about 180-350 K within a vacuum environment. The sources are designed to present a uniform spectral radiance over a large area to the sensor unit under test. THe thermal uniformity requirement of the blackbody cavities has been one of the key factors of the design, requiring less than 50 mK variation over the entire blackbody surface to attain effective emissivity values of about 0.999. Once the two units are built and verified to the level of about 100 mK at LANL, they will be sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where at least a factor of two improvements will be calibrated into the blackbody control system. The physical size of these assemblies will require modifications of the existing NIST Low Background Infrared (LBIR) Facility. LANL has constructed a bolt-on addition to the LBIR facility that will allow calibration of our large aperture sources. Methodology for attaining the two blackbody sources at calibration levels of performance equivalent to present state of the art will be explained in the paper.

Optical testing of the Kepler photometer in a thermal vacuum environment at Ball Aerospace

The Kepler spacecraft and telescope were designed, built and tested at Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation in Boulder, Colorado. The Kepler spacecraft was successfully launched from NASAs Kennedy Space Center on March 6, 2009. In order to adequately support the Kepler mission, Ball Aerospace upgraded its optical testing capabilities. This upgrade facilitated the development of a meter-class optical testing capability in a thermal vacuum (TVAC) environment. This testing facility, known as the Vertical Collimator Assembly (VCA), was used to test the Kepler telescope in 2008. Ball Aerospace designed and built the VCA as a 1.5m, f/4.5 collimator that is an un-obscured system, incorporating an off-axis parabola (OAP) and test flat coated for operations in the VIS-IR wavelength region. The VCA is operated in a large thermal vacuum chamber and has an operational testing range of 80 to 300K (-315 to 80°F). For Kepler testing, the VCA produced a 112nm rms wavefront at cryogenic temperatures. Its integral autocollimation and alignment capabilities allowed knowledge of the collimated wavefront characteristics to <5nm rms during final thermal vacuum testing. Upcoming modifications to the VCA optics will bring the VCA wavefront to <20nm rms. The VCA optics are designed and mounted to allow for use in either a vertical or horizontal orientation without degradation of the collimated optical wavefront.

Abatement of oscillator-induced energy spread in single-accelerator MOPA operation

Abstract Configuration of a free-electron laser as a master-oscillator power amplifier (MOPA) is a method for power scaling with reduced susceptibility to mirror damage. When the same electron beam is used to drive both wigglers, the oscillator must be operated at reduced power to minimize induced energy spread. Techniques for power regulation may affect the oscillator sensitivity to e-beam energy and current fluctuations. The suitability of various proposed methods for e-beam quality preservation is reviewed and solutions applicable to the Average-Power Laser Experiment (APLE) are highlighted.

Vertically configured collimator for cryogenic vacuum testing of meter scale optical systems

Ball Aerospace has constructed a new collimator for interferometric and image quality testing of meter scale optical systems under cryogenic, vacuum conditions. Termed the Vertical Collimator Assembly (VCA), it features 1.5 m diameter off-axis parabolic and calibration flat mirrors. In order to preserve as large a volume as possible for the unit under test, the main platform is suspended inside its vacuum chamber by a hexapod, with the parabolic mirror mounted overhead. A simultaneous interferometer facilitates collimator alignment and monitoring, as well as wavefront quality measurements for the test unit. Diffusely illuminated targets may be employed for through-focus image quality measurements with pinholes and bar targets. Mechanical alignment errors induced by thermal and structural perturbations are monitored with a three-beam distance measuring interferometer to enable mid-test compensation. Sources for both interferometer systems are maintained at atmospheric pressure while still directly mounted to the main platform, reducing vibration and stability problems associated with thermal vacuum testing. Because path lengths inside the ambient pressure vessels are extremely short, problems related to air turbulence and layering are also mitigated. In-chamber support equipment is insulated and temperature controlled, allowing testing while the chamber shrouds and test unit are brought to cryogenic temperatures.

Optical assembly of a visible through thermal infrared multispectral imaging system

The Optical Assembly (OA) for the Multispectral Thermal Imger (MTI) program has been fabricated, assembled, and successfully tested for its performance. It represents a major milestone achieved towards completion of this earth observing EO imaging sensor that is to be operated in low earth orbit. Along with its wide field of view, 1.82 degrees along-track and 1.38 degrees cross-track, and comprehensive on-board calibration system, the pushbroom imaging sensor employs a single mechanically cooled focal plane with 15 spectral bands covering a wavelength range from 0.45 to 10.7 micrometers . The OA has an off-axis three-mirror anastigmatic telescope with a 36-cm unobscured clear aperture. The two key performance criteria, 80 percent enpixeled energy in the visible and radiometric stability of 1 percent 1 (sigma) in the visible/near-IR and short wavelength IR, of 1.45 percent 1 (sigma) in the medium wavelength IR, and of 0.53 percent 1 (sigma) long wavelength IR, as well as its low weight and volume constraint drive the overall design configuration of the OA and fabrication requirements.

Visible/infrared radiometric calibration station

Los Alamos National Laboratories has begun construction of a visible/infrared radiometric calibration station that will allow for absolute calibration of optical and IR remote sensing instruments with clear apertures less than 16 inches in diameter in a vacuum environment. The calibration station broadband sources will be calibrated at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and allow for traceable absolute radiometric calibration to within +/- 3% in the visible and near IR (0.4-2.5 micrometers ), and less than +/- 1% in the infrared, up to 12 micrometers . Capabilities for placing diffraction limited images of for sensor full-field flooding will exist. The facility will also include the calibration of polarization and spectra effects, spatial resolution, field of view performance, and wavefront characterization. The configuration of the vacuum calibration station consists of an off-axis 21 inch, f/3.2, parabolic collimator with a scanning fold flat in collimated space. The sources are placed, via mechanisms to be described, at the focal plane of the off-axis parabola. Vacuum system pressure will be in the 10-6 Torr range. The broadband white-light source is a custom design by LANL with guidance from Labsphere Inc. The continuous operating radiance of the integrating sphere will be from 0.0-0.006 W/cm2/Sr/micrometers (upper level quoted for approximately 500 nm wavelength). The blackbody source is also custom designed at LANL with guidance from NIST. The blackbody temperature will be controllable between 250-350 degree(s)K. Both of the above sources have 4.1 inch apertures with estimated radiometric instability at less than 1%. The designs of each of these units will be described. The monochromator and interferometer light sources are outside the vacuum, but all optical relay and beam shaping optics are enclosed within the vacuum calibration station. These sources are to be described, as well as the methodology for alignment and characterization.