Characterization of relativistic electron bunch duration and travelling
wave structure phase velocity based on momentum spectra measurements on the
ARES linac at DESY
The ARES linac at DESY aims to generate and characterize ultrashort electron
bunches (fs to sub-fs duration) with high momentum and arrival time stability
for the purpose of applications related to accelerator R&D, e.g. development of
advanced and compact diagnostics and accelerating structures, test of new
accelerator components, medical applications studies, machine learning, etc.
During its commissioning phase, the bunch duration characterization of the
electron bunches generated at ARES has been performed with an RF-phasing
technique relying on momentum spectra measurements, using only common
accelerator elements (RF accelerating structures and magnetic spectrometers).
The sensitivity of the method allowed highlighting different response times for
Mo and Cs2Te cathodes. The measured electron bunch duration in a wide range of
machine parameters shows excellent agreement overall with the simulation
predictions, thus demonstrating a very good understanding of the ARES operation
on the bunch duration aspect. The importance of a precise in-situ experimental
determination of the phase velocity of the first travelling wave accelerating
structure after the electron source, for which we propose a simple new
beam-based method precise down to sub-permille variation respective to the
speed of light in vacuum, is emphasized for this purpose. A minimum bunch
duration of 20 fs rms, resolution-limited by the space charge forces, is
reported. This is, to the best of our knowledge, around 4 times shorter than
what has been previously experimentally demonstrated based on RF-phasing
techniques with a single RF structure. The present study constitutes a strong
basis for future time characterization down to the sub-fs level at ARES, using
dedicated X-band transverse deflecting structures.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figures. To be submitted to Physical Review Accelerators
and Beam