T. Siggins

Performance of a DC GaAs photocathode gun for the Jefferson lab FEL

The performance of the 320 kV DC photocathode gun has met the design specifications for the 1 kW IR Demo FEL at Jefferson Lab. This gun has shown the ability to deliver high average current beam with outstanding lifetimes. The GaAs photocathode has delivered 135 pC per bunch, at a bunch repetition rate of 37.425 MHz, corresponding to 5 mA average CW current. In a recent cathode lifetime measurement, 20 h of CW beam was delivered with an average current of 3.1 mA and 211 C of total charge from a 0.283 cm 2 illuminated spot. The cathode showed a 1=e lifetime of 58 h and a1 =e extracted charge lifetime of 618 C. We have achieved quantum efficiencies of 5% from a GaAs wafer that has been in service for 13months delivering in excess 2400 C with only three activation cycles. r 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A High Average Current DC GAAS Photocathode Gun for ERLS and FELS

The Jefferson Lab (JLab) 10 kW IR Upgrade FEL DC GaAs photocathode gun is presently the highest average current electron source operational in the U.S., delivering a record 9.1 mA CW, 350 kV electron beam with 122 pC/bunch at 75 MHz rep rate. Pulsed operation has also been demonstrated with 8 mA per pulse (110 pC/bunch) in 16 ms-long pulses at 2 Hz rep rate. Routinely the gun delivers 5 mA CW and pulse current at 135 pC/bunch for FEL operations. The Upgrade DC photocathode gun is a direct evolution of the DC photocathode gun used in the previous JLab 1 kW IR Demo FEL. Improvements in the vacuum conditions, incorporation of two UHV motion mechanisms (a retractable cathode and a photocathode shield door) and a new way to add cesium to the GaAs photocathode surface have extended its lifetime to over 500 Coulombs delivered between re-cesiations (quantum efficiency replenishment). With each photocathode activation quantum efficiencies above 6% are routinely achieved. The photocathode activation and performance will be described in detail.

First Lasing of the Jefferson Lab IR Demo FEL

As reported previously [1], Jefferson Lab is building a free-electron laser capable of generating a continuous wave kilowatt laser beam. The driver-accelerator consists of a superconducting, energy-recovery accelerator. The initial stage of the program was to produce over 100 W of average power with no recirculation. In order to provide maximum gain the initial wavelength was chosen to be 5 mu-m and the initial beam energy was chosen to be 38.5 MeV. On June 17, 1998, the laser produced 155 Watts cw power at the laser output with a 98% reflective output coupler. On July 28th, 311 Watts cw power was obtained using a 90% reflective output coupler. A summary of the commissioning activities to date as well as some novel lasing results will be summarized in this paper. Present work is concentrated on optimizing lasing at 5 mu-m, obtaining lasing at 3 mu-m, and commissioning the recirculation transport in preparation for kilowatt lasing this fall.

A 10 kW IRFEL design for Jefferson Lab

Recent work at Jefferson Lab has demonstrated the viability of same-cell energy recovery as a basis for a high average power free-electron laser (FEL). We are now extending this technique to lase at average powers in excess of 10 kW in the infrared. This upgrade will also produce over 1 kW in the UV and generate high brightness Thomson back-scattered X-rays. The power increase will be achieved by increasing the electron beam energy by a factor of four, and the beam current and the FEL design efficiency by a factor of two. Utilization of a near-concentric optical cavity is enabled by the use of very low loss state-of-the-art coatings. The FEL will be placed in the return leg of the electron beam transport, giving a machine footprint quite similar to that of the existing 1 kW IR device. Some features of the upgrade are straightforward extensions of those in the present 1 kW design; others break new ground and present new challenges. These will be described. The required electron beam parameters and the laser performance estimates will be summarized. Changes required in the electron beam transport will be outlined and the optical cavity design briefly reviewed.

First results on energy recovery in the Jefferson Lab IRFEL

A recirculating, energy-recovering linac is used as driver accelerator for Jefferson Labs high average power FEL. CW beam of 5 mA design current is transported from the superconducting RF (SRF) linac to the wiggler for lasing, and then recirculated back to the linac for deceleration and energy recovery. About 75% of the beam power is extracted before the beam is transported to the beam dump. Energy recovery reduces power consumption, RF equipment capital costs, and beam dump shielding requirements. It is arguably essential as FEL technology is scaled to higher average power levels. To date, 4 mA of CW beam has been energy recovered successfully. There is no evidence of RF instabilities due to the energy aperture of the transport system, momentum compaction or the phase of the decelerating beam. HOM power from the beam has interfered with the operation of the IR interlock detectors, designed to protect the warm waveguide window from thermal runaway. Installation of copper screens appears to have solved the problem. More detailed studies of the HOM spectra and their correlation to the beam properties are planned.

Status of the Jefferson Lab IR/UV High Average Power Light Source

Jefferson Lab is in the process of building an upgrade to our Free-Electron Laser Facility with broad wavelength range and timing flexibility. The facility will have two cw free-electron lasers, one in the infrared operating from 1 to 14 microns and one in the infrared operating from 0.25 to 1 micron [1]. In addition, there will be beamlines for Thompson-backscattered femtosecond X-rays, and broadband THz radiation. The average power levels for each of these devices will exceed any other available sources by at least 2 orders of magnitude. Timing of the available laser pulses can be continuously mode-locked at least 4 different (MHz) repetition rates or in macropulse mode with pulses of a few microseconds in duration with a repetition rate of many kHz. The status of the construction of this facility and a review of its capabilities will be presented.

Jefferson Lab IR demo FEL photocathode quantum efficiency scanner

Abstract Jefferson Laboratorys Free Electron Laser (FEL) incorporates a cesiated gallium arsenide (GaAs) DC photocathode gun as its electron source. By using a set of scanning mirrors, the surface of the GaAs wafer is illuminated with a 543.5nm helium–neon laser. Measuring the current flow across the biased photocathode generates a quantum efficiency (QE) map of the 1-in. diameter wafer surface. The resulting QE map provides a very detailed picture of the efficiency of the wafer surface. By generating a QE map in a matter of minutes, the photocathode scanner has proven to be an exceptional tool in quickly determining sensitivity and availability of the photocathode for operation.