Free-electron laser results

The Los Alamos free-electron laser (FEL) amplifier experiment was designed to demonstrate high efficiency for transfer of energy from an electron beam to a light beam in the magnetic field of a tapered wiggler. Initial results indicate an energy transfer consistent with theory. Distinct groups of decelerated electrons as well as accelerated electrons are clearly present in the energy spectrum of electrons emerging from the wiggler when the laser light is present. The observed energy decrease for the electrons captured in the decelerating bucket is approx. 6% and the average decrease of the entire energy distribution is approx. 2% for the conditions of these initial measurements.