Monte carlo analysis of a free electron laser in a storage ring

This paper contains studies of the operation of a one-dimensional storage ring free-electron laser (FEL) using a Monte Carlo technique to generate the electron energy fluctuations produced by the FEL. The energy and phase equations of motion have been numerically integrated to calculate equilibrium values of: a) electron energy spread, b) electron phase spread (e.g. electron bunch length), and c) efficiency of conversion of electron energy into laser radiation. The operation of the storage ring free-electron laser was studied for five different FEL magnet designs. It is found that a “one-dimensional” storage ring free-electron laser can operate on a steady-state basis only with reduced overall efficiency due to the inability of the system to damp effectively the electron energy fluctuations produced by the FEL. Results of operation of a SRFEL in a pulsed mode are also presented.