First milestone on the path toward a table-top free-electron laser (FEL)
Abstract
Latest developments in the field of laser-wakefield accelerators (LWFAs) have led to relatively stable electron beams in terms of peak energy, charge, pointing and divergence from mm-sized accelerators. Simulations and LWFA theory indicate that these beams have low transverse emittances and ultrashort bunch durations on the order of ∼10 fs. These features make LWFAs perfectly suitable for driving high-brightness X-ray undulator sources and free-electron lasers (FELs) on a university-laboratory scale. With the detection of soft-X-ray radiation from an undulator source driven by laser-wakefield accelerated electrons, we succeeded in achieving a first milestone on this path. The source delivers remarkably stable photon beams which is mainly due to the stable electron beam and our miniature magnetic quadrupole lenses, which significantly reduce its divergence and angular shot-to-shot variation. An increase in electron energy allows for compact, tunable, hard-X-ray undulator sources. Improvements of the electron beams in terms of charge and energy spread will put table-top FELs within reach.
- Publication:
-
Light at Extreme Intensities - Opportunities and Technological Issues of the Extreme Light Infrastructure: LEI 2009
- Pub Date:
- April 2010
- DOI:
- 10.1063/1.3426066
- Bibcode:
- 2010AIPC.1228..295F
- Keywords:
-
- relativistic electron beams;
- acceleration;
- X-rays;
- laser beams;
- undulator radiation;
- 41.75.Ht;
- 41.75.Jv;
- 41.50.+h;
- 42.60.Jf;
- 41.60.Ap;
- Relativistic electron and positron beams;
- Laser-driven acceleration;
- X-ray beams and x-ray optics;
- Beam characteristics: profile intensity and power;
- spatial pattern formation;
- Synchrotron radiation