Numerical modeling of a table-top tunable Smith-Purcell Terahertz free-electron laser operating in the super-radiant regime

Terahertz (THz) radiation occupies a very large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum and has generated much recent interest due to its ability to penetrate deep into many organic materials without the damage associated with ionizing radiation such as x-rays. One path for generating copious amount of tunable narrow-band THz radiation is based on the Smith-Purcell free-electron laser (SPFEL) effect. In this Letter we propose a simple concept for a compact two-stage tunable SPFEL operating in the superradiant regime capable of radiating at the grating's fundamental bunching frequency. We demonstrate its capabilities and performances via computer simulation using the conformal finite-difference time-domain electromagnetic solver {\sc vorpal}.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Applied Physics Letter

Ballistic Bunching of Photo-Injected Electron Bunches with Dielectric-Lined Waveguide

We describe a simple technique to passively bunch non-ultrarelativistics ($\lesssim 10$~MeV) electron bunches produced in conventional photoinjectors. The scheme employs a dielectric-lined waveguide located downstream of the electron source to impress an energy modulation on a picosecond bunch. The energy modulation is then converted into a density modulation via ballistic bunching. The method is shown to support the generation of sub-picosecond bunch train with multi-kA peak currents. The relatively simple technique is expected to find applications in compact, accelerator-based, light sources and advanced beam-driven accelerator methods.Comment: 9 pages, 13 figure

Single-shot electro-optic sampling of coherent transition radiation at the A0 Photoinjector

Future collider applications and present high-gradient laser plasma wakefield accelerators operating with picosecond bunch durations place a higher demand on the time resolution of bunch distribution diagnostics. This demand has led to significant advancements in the field of electro-optic sampling over the past ten years. These methods allow the probing of diagnostic light such as coherent transition radiation or the bunch wakefields with sub-picosecond time resolution. Potential applications in shot-to-shot, non-interceptive diagnostics continue to be pursued for live beam monitoring of collider and pump-probe experiments. Related to our developing work with electro-optic imaging, we present results on single-shot electro-optic sampling of the coherent transition radiation from bunches generated at the A0 photoinjector.Comment: 3 p

Formation of Compressed Flat Electron Beams with High Transverse-Emittance Ratios

Flat beams -- beams with asymmetric transverse emittances -- have important applications in novel light-source concepts, advanced-acceleration schemes and could possibly alleviate the need for damping rings in lepton colliders. Over the last decade, a flat-beam-generation technique based on the conversion of an angular-momentum-dominated beam was proposed and experimentally tested. In this paper we explore the production of compressed flat beams. We especially investigate and optimize the flat-beam transformation for beams with substantial fractional energy spread. We use as a simulation example the photoinjector of the Fermilab's Advanced Superconducting Test Accelerator (ASTA). The optimizations of the flat beam generation and compression at ASTA were done via start-to-end numerical simulations for bunch charges of 3.2 nC, 1.0 nC and 20 pC at ~37 MeV. The optimized emittances of flat beams with different bunch charges were found to be 0.25 {\mu}m (emittance ratio is ~400), 0.13 {\mu}m, 15 nm before compression, and 0.41 {\mu}m, 0.20 {\mu}m, 16 nm after full compression, respectively with peak currents as high as 5.5 kA for a 3.2-nC flat beam. These parameters are consistent with requirements needed to excite wakefields in asymmetric dielectric-lined waveguides or produce significant photon flux using small-gap micro-undulators.Comment: 17

Integrated modeling of the TESLA X-ray FEL

The TESLA linear collider incorporates an X-ray SASE FEL which demands challenging electron beam parameters (typically transverse emittance of 1.6 mm-mrd and peak current of 5 kA). For a realistic electron beam distribution at the entrance of the undulator, tracking has to be done from the cathode through the whole accelerator. Non-Gaussian beam profiles have to be taken into account as well as nonlinear effects such as space-charge, coherent synchrotron radiation field and wake fields. We have done this with several codes: Astra, for the low energy part (<100 MeV), TraFiC4 for the bunch compressor chicanes where CSR influences the particle trajectories and the code Elegant for the 6D tracking with wake fields in the linacs and transport lines. The so-generated electron phase space density at the undulator entrance can then passed to SASEFEL simulation codes. Results of this integrated modeling is discussed

Longitudinal phase space disruption in magnetic bunch compressors

It is now well-established [2, 3] that high-charge ultra-short bunches can radiate coherently on curved trajectories (coherent synchrotron radiation). The two main consequences of such an effect are (1) an energy redistribution within the bunch, (2) a potential transverse emittance dilution in the bending plane. This effect is especially important in the foreseen next generation of free-electron laser driver linacs and linear colliders. In this paper after briefly discussing the general aspects of coherent synchrotron radiation (CSR), we report on recent experimental results obtained at the Tesla Test Facility I and compare them with numerical simulations. Schemes for reducing the impact of CSR on the beam dynamics are also discussed in the frame of the TESLA X-ray FEL project