W. Wan

A recirculating linac-based facility for ultrafast x-ray science

We present an updated design for a proposed source of ultra-fast synchrotron radiation pulses based on a recirculating superconducting linac, in particular the incorporation of EUV and soft x-ray production. The project has been named LUX - Linac-based Ultrafast X-ray facility. The source produces intense x-ray pulses with duration of 10-100 fs at a 10 kHz repetition rate, with synchronization of 10s fs, optimized for the study of ultra-fast dynamics. The photon range covers the EUV to hard x-ray spectrum by use of seeded harmonic generation in undulators, and a specialized technique for ultra-short-pulse photon production in the 1-10 keV range. High-brightness rf photocathodes produce electron bunches which are optimized either for coherent emission in free-electron lasers, or to provide a large x/y emittance ration and small vertical emittance which allows for manipulation to produce short-pulse hard x-rays. An injector linac accelerates the beam to 120 MeV, and is followed by four passes through a 600-720 MeV recirculating linac. We outline the major technical components of the proposed facility.

Conceptual Design of a 260 mm Bore 5 T Superconducting Curved Dipole Magnet for a Carbon Beam Therapy Gantry

A conceptual design of curved superconducting magnet for a carbon therapy gantry has been proposed. The design can reduce the gantrys size and weight and make it more comparable with gantries used for proton therapy. In this paper we report on a combined function, 5 T, superconducting dipole magnet with a 260 mm bore diameter that is curved 90 degrees at a radius of 1269 mm. The magnet superimposes two layers of oppositely wound and skewed solenoids like windings, energized in a way that nulls the solenoid field and doubles the dipole field component. Furthermore, the combined architecture of the windings can create a selection of field terms that are off the near-pure dipole field. Combined harmonics such as a quadrupole and sextupole are needed to adjust the beam trajectory. Ways to adjust the field and beam trajectory, magnet size and assembly, structure and pre-stress are considered.

Accelerator-based single-shot ultrafast transmission electron microscope with picosecond temporal resolution and nanometer spatial resolution

Abstract We present feasibility study of an accelerator-based ultrafast transmission electron microscope (u-TEM) capable of producing a full field image in a single-shot with simultaneous picosecond temporal resolution and nanometer spatial resolution. We study key physics related to performance of u-TEMs and discuss major challenges as well as possible solutions for practical realization of u-TEMs. The feasibility of u-TEMs is confirmed through simulations using realistic electron beam parameters. We anticipate that u-TEMs with a product of temporal and spatial resolution beyond 10 −19 xa0ms will open up new opportunities in probing matter at ultrafast temporal and ultrasmall spatial scales.

Design Studies for a VUV–Soft X-ray Free-Electron Laser Array

Several recent reports have identified the scientific requirements for a future soft X-ray light source [1, 2, 3, 4, 5], and a high-repetition-rate free-electron laser (FEL) facility responsive to them is being studied at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) [6]. The facility is based on a continuous-wave (CW) superconducting linear accelerator with beam supplied by a high-brightness, high-repetition-rate photocathode electron gun operating in CW mode, and on an array of FELs to which the accelerated beam is distributed, each operating at high repetition rate and with even pulse spacing. Dependent on the experimental requirements, the individual FELs may be configured for either self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE), seeded high-gain harmonic generation (HGHG), echo-enabled harmonic generation (EEHG), or oscillator mode of operation, and will produce high peak and average brightness X-rays with a flexible pulse format ranging from sub-femtoseconds to hundreds of femtoseconds. This new light source would serve a broad community of scientists in many areas of research, similar to existing utilization of storage ring based light sources.

Accelerator physics challenges of the fs-slicing upgrade at the ALS

The goal of the Femtoslicing project at the ALS is to provide 100-200 fs long pulses of soft and hard x-rays with moderate flux and with a repetition rate of 10-40 kHz for experiments concerning ultrafast dynamics in solid state physics, chemistry and biology. The femtoslicing principle employs a femtosecond laser beam to interact resonantly (inverse FEL interaction) with the electron beam in the ALS. The induced energy spread over the femtosecond duration is converted to a transverse displacement by exploiting the dispersion of the storage ring. The displaced femtosecond electron pulse then radiates and produces femtosecond synchrotron radiation. To achieve the necessary spatial separation of the energy modulated slice from the rest of the bunch, a sizeable local vertical dispersion bump in the undulator used as radiator is required. This presents challenges in terms of the nonlinear dynamics and control of the vertical emittance.

Design Studies for a High-Repetition-Rate FEL Facility at LBNL

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is working to address the needs of the primary scientific Grand Challenges now being considered by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences: we are exploring scientific discovery opportunities, and new areas of science, to be unlocked with the use of advanced photon sources. A partnership of several divisions at LBNL is working to define the science and instruments needed in the future. To meet these needs, we propose a seeded, high-repetition-rate, free-electron laser (FEL) facility. Temporally and spatially coherent photon pulses, of controlled duration ranging from picosecond to sub-femtosecond, are within reach in the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) to soft X-ray regime, and LBNL is developing critical accelerator physics and technologies toward this goal. We envision a facility with an array of FELs, each independently configurable and tunable, providing a range of photon-beam properties with high average and peak flux and brightness.

Design of an Achromatic Superconducting Magnet for a Proton Therapy Gantry

Recent studies have shown that strong, alternating focusing magnets can be used to greatly increase the momentum acceptance of hadron therapy gantries. With the high gradients achievable with superconducting magnets a level of momentum acceptance can be reached which may have significant implications to medical gantries and to the introduction of superconducting technology in this area. The design of such a superconducting magnet system for a proton therapy gantry will be presented. The Canted-Cosine-Theta concept is extended to a curved magnet system generating the desired bending and alternating focusing fields for the achromatic optics. Magnetic, structural, and thermal analysis of this design is presented along with preliminary efforts towards fabrication and assembly of the curved magnet.

The New Undulator Based FS-Slicing Beamline at the ALS

The Femtoslicing beamline at the ALS employs a fs laser beam interacting resonantly with the electron beam in a wiggler. The induced energy spread over the fs duration is converted to a transverse displacement by exploiting the storage ring dispersion. The displaced fs pulse radiates and produces fs synchrotron radiation. Up to now a regular bending magnet was used as radiator. To improve the flux, a significant upgrade was implemented, replacing the modulator, installing an in-vacuum undulator as new radiator, and installing a higher repeptition rate laser system. The new beamline will provide 100-200 fs long pulses of soft and hard x-rays with a repetition rate of 10-40 kHz for experiments concerning ultrafast dynamics in solid state physics, chemistry and biology.

Als top-off simulation studies for radiation safety

We plan to commission top-off injection[1,2] at the advanced light source (ALS[3]) in the near future. In order to guarantee radiation safety, we need to exclude the possibility of injecting electrons into the users photon beam lines because of the very high radiation doses involved in case of such an event. This issue must carefully investigated and experimental tests cannot be easily performed. The only reliable way is through simulation. We have developed a scheme based in exhaustive simulations that accounts for all possible dangerous scenarios and that at the same time requires a reasonable amount of computing time. This paper describes such a method and presents a summary of the studies performed for the ALS at the present time.

Successful completion of the femtosecond slicing upgrade at the ALS

An upgraded femtosecond slicing facility has been commissioned successfully at the Advanced Light Source. In contrast to the original facility at the ALS which pioneered the concept, the new beamline uses an undulator (the first in-vacuum undulator at the ALS) as the radiator producing the user photon beam. To spatially separate the femtosecond slices in the radiator, a local vertical dispersion bump produced with 12 skew quadrupoles is used. The facility was successfully commissioned during the last 1.5 years and is now used in routine operation.