R. Boyce

Research and development toward a 4.5−1.5 Å linac coherent light source (LCLS) at SLAC

Abstract In recent years significant studies have been initiated on the feasibility of utilizing a portion of the 3 km S-band accelerator at SLAC to drive a short wavelength (4.5−1.5 A) Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), a Free-Electron Laser (FEL) operating in the Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) regime. Electron beam requirements for single-pass saturation in a minimal time include: 1) a peak current in the 7 kA range, 2) a relative energy spread of e = λ 4π , where λ[m] is the output wavelength. Requirements on the insertion device include field error levels of 0.02% for keeping the electron bunch centered on and in phase with the amplified photons, and a focusing beta of 8 m/rad for inhibiting the dilution of its transverse density. Although much progress has been made in developing individual components and beam-processing techniques necessary for LCLS operation down to ∼20 A, a substantial amount of research and development is still required in a number of theoretical and experimental areas leading to the construction and operation of a 4.5−1.5 A LCLS. In this paper we report on a research and development program underway and in planning at SLAC for addressing critical questions in these areas. These include the construction and operation of a linac test stand for developing laser-driven photocathode rf guns with normalized emittances approaching 1 mm-mrad; development of advanced beam compression, stability, and emittance control techniques at multi-GeV energies; the construction and operation of a FEL Amplifier Test Experiment (FATE) for theoretical and experimental studies of SASE at IR wavelengths; an undulator development program to investigate superconducting, hybrid/permanent magnet (hybrid/PM), and pulsed-Cu technologies; theoretical and computational studies of high-gain FEL physics and LCLS component designs; development of X-ray optics and instrumentation for extracting, modulating, and delivering photons to experimental users; and the study and development of scientific experiments made possible by the source properties of the LCLS.

The Next Linear Collider Test Accelerator

During the past several years, there has been tremendous progress on the development of the RF system and accelerating structures for a Next Linear Collider (NLC). Developments include high-power klystrons, RF pulse compression systems and damped/detuned accelerator structures to reduce wakefields. In order to integrate these separate development efforts into an actual X-band accelerator capable of accelerating the electron beams necessary for an NLC, we are building an NLC Test Accelerator (NLCTA). The goal of the NLCTA is to bring together all elements of the entire accelerating system by constructing and reliably operating an engineered model of a high-gradient linac suitable for the NLC. The NLCTA will serve as a testbed as the design of the NLC evolves. In addition to testing the RF acceleration system, the NLCTA is designed to address many questions related to the dynamics of the beam during acceleration. In this paper, we will report on the status of the design, component development, and construction of the NLC Test Accelerator.<<ETX>>

The SLAC soft X-ray high power FEL

We discuss the design and performance of a 2 to 4 nm FEL operating in Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE), using a photoinjector to produce the electron beam, and the SLAC linac to accelerate it to an energy of about 7 GeV. Longitudinal bunch compression is used to increase the peak current to 2.5 kA, while reducing the bunch length to about 40 μm. The FEL field gain length is about 6 m, and the saturation length is about 60 m. The saturated output power is about 10 GW, corresponding to about 1014 photons in a single pulse in a bandwidth of about 0.1%, with a pulse duration of 0.16 ps. Length compression, emittance control, phase stability, FEL design criteria, and parameter tolerances are discussed.

Design considerations for a 60 meter pure permanent magnet undulator for the SLAC Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS)

In this paper we describe design, fabrication, and measurement aspects of a pure permanent magnet (PM) insertion device designed to operate as an FEL at a 1st harmonic energy of 300 eV and an electron energy of 7 GeV in the self-amplified spontaneous emission regime.<<ETX>>

Undulator studies at SSRL

In a collaboration between LBL and SSRL a permanent magnet (SmCo5) undulator has been designed, constructed and installed into the SPEAR storage ring at SLAC during 1980. A report [1] on the design, construction and magnetic measurements has already been made. This is a report on subsequent work with the undulator. We describe (a) the performance of the undulator as a radiation source, (b) its effect on storage ring operation, (c) the instrumentation developed to facilitate its routine use as a radiation source for experiments, and (d) the experience gained in the first experimental study utilizing the undulator.

The 3 GeV synchrotron injector for SPEAR

A dedicated 3-GeV injector synchrotron for the storage ring SPEAR has been constructed at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, SSRL. The injector consists of an RF-gun, a 120-MeV linear accelerator, a 3-GeV booster synchrotron, and associated beam transport lines. General design features and special new developments for this injector are presented, together with operational performance.<<ETX>>

A 2-4 nm Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) using the SLAC linac

We describe the use of the SLAC linac to drive a unique, powerful, short wavelength Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Operating as an FEL, lasing would be achieved in a single pass of a high peak current electron beam through a long undulator by self-amplified spontaneous emission. The main components are a high-brightness rf photocathode electron gun; pulse compressors; about 1/5 of the SLAC linac; and a long undulator with a FODO quadrupole focusing system. Using electrons below 8 GeV, the system would operate at wavelengths down to about 3 nm, producing /spl ges/10 GW of peak power in sub-ps pulses. At a 120 Hz rate the average power is /spl ap/1 W.<<ETX>>

X-ray optics design studies for the 1.5 to 15-A Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) at Stanford Linear Accelerator Laboratory

In recent years, comprehensive design studies have been initiated on angstrom-wavelength free-electron laser (FEL) schemes based on driving highly compressed electron bunches from a multi-GeV linac through long undulators. The output parameters of these sources, when operated in the so-called self-amplified spontaneous emission mode, include lasing powers in the 10-100 GW range, full transverse and low-to- moderate longitudinal coherence, pulse durations in the 50- 500 fs range, broad spontaneous spectra with total power comparable to the coherent output, and flexible polarization parameters. In this paper we summarize the status of design studies of the x-ray optics system and components to be utilized in the SLAC linac coherent light source, a 1.5-15 angstrom FEL driven by the last kilometer of the SLAC three kilometer S-band linac. Various aspects of the overall optical system, selected instrumentation and individual components, radiation modeling, and issues related to the interaction of intense sub-picosecond x-ray pulses with matter, are discussed.

A liquid hydrogen target for the precision measurement of the weak mixing angle in Møller scattering at SLAC

A 150 cm long liquid hydrogen target has been built for the SLAC End Station A E158 experiment. The target loop volume is 55 liters, and the maximum target heat load deposited by the electron beam is {approx} 700 W. The liquid hydrogen density fluctuation with full beam current (120 Hz repetition rate, 6 x 10{sup 11} electrons/spill) on target is well below 10{sup -4} level, which fulfills the requirement for a precision measurement of the weak mixing angle in the polarized electron-electron scattering process.

The SSRL injector kickers

The kicker units for injection and ejection at the new Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (SSRL) injector synchrotron are built from two kicker modules driven by compact in-air delay line thyratron pulsers. The kickers have an aperture of 25 mm*60 mm. The injection kicker is 60 cm long (30 cm each module) and bends the 150-MeV electron beam by 42 mrad during injection. The extraction kicker module is 120 m long (60 cm each module) and bends the 3-GeV beam by 4 mrad for extraction. The pulsers produce current pulses on the order of 900A with a fall time of 200 ns for injection, a rise time of 260 ns for extraction, and a pulse length (rise plus flat top time) of 400 ns.<<ETX>>