SOLEIL, Gif-sur-Yvette
PhLAM/CERCLA, Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex
Nagoya University, Nagoya
UVSOR, Okazaki
JASRI/SPring-8, Hyogo-ken
In FEL oscillator, a desynchronisation between the electron-bunch passage frequency and the repetition rate of the laser can lead to instability, characterised by erratic longitudinal shape of the emitted light pulses. We show that this instability can be controlled using a simple feedback system which consist in re-injecting in the cavity a part of the emitted light. Analytical, numerical and experimental studies on the UVSOR-II storage ring have been performed, and show that the energy needed to achieved the control can be extremely weak, in practical higher than the noise level[1]. We also show that another important parameter is the phase of the re-injected signal with respect to the light in the cavity. Depending of the value of this phase, we can observe a shift of the emitted light wavelength, which can go with a modulation of the laser pulse envelop. Both of this two phenomenas are quantitatively analysed.
[1] C. Evain, C. Szwaj, S. Bielawski, M. Hosaka, A. Mochihashi, M. Katoh, and M.-E. Couprie, Phys. Rev. Lett. {10}2, 134501 (2009)
IAP/RAS, Nizhny Novgorod
Periodical Bragg structures can be considered as an effective way of controlling the electromagnetic energy fluxes and provision of spatial coherence of radiation in the electron devices with oversized interaction space. Advance of FEL with 2D distributed feedback [*] into the terahertz waveband can be achieved basing on a two-mirror hybrid scheme in which a new modification of Bragg reflector exploiting the coupling between the two counter-propagating waves and a cutoff mode is used as an upstream mirror. This reflector provides effective mode selection over the "narrow" transverse coordinate directed between the plates forming planar waveguide. Synchronization of radiation from a sheet electron beam over the "wide" coordinate can be obtained by 2D Bragg structures providing 2D distributed feedback used as a downstream mirror. Both upstream and downstream Bragg reflectors are compatible with intense beam transport. Thus the advantage of suggested scheme against traditional THz band FEL [**] is the possibility of realization of long-pulse (microsecond) generation regimes with high (mulimegawatt) output power level.
*Ginzburg N.S., Peskov N.Yu., Sergeev A.S. // Optics Сommun. 1994. V.112. P.151.
**G.R.Neil, C.L.Bohn, S.V.Benson, et al. // Phys. Rev. Lett.2000. V.84. P.662.
PSI, Villigen
This paper introduces the architecture and first beam commissioning results of the standard BPM system for the SwissFEL test injector, a 250MeV linac that is progressively being commissioned in order to perform R&D for the "SwissFEL" 5.8GeV hard-X-ray FEL facility proposed at PSI. Since the SwissFEL has a nominal bunch charge range of 10-200pC, the test injector is equipped with 500MHz resonant stripline BPMs that are optimized for high dynamic range and sensitivity, to support machine operation well below 10pC. Beam tests with a 5 GSa/s direct sampling electronics designed at PSI showed a single-bunch resolution of <20um RMS at 2pC and typically 7um RMS for charges >10pC. The BPMs also measure bunch charge, insensitively to dark current, with <30fC RMS resolution at 2pC.
DESY, Hamburg
The Andrzej Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies, Centre Swierk, Swierk/Otwock
The Free electron LASer at Hamburg (FLASH) is a linear accelerator of 330m length. It provides laser pulses with pulse duration between 10 and hundreds fs in the soft X-ray wavelength range below 5nm produced in SASE process from electron bunches with an energy up to 1.2 GeV. FLASH works in pulse mode with repetition rate of 10 Hz where up to 800 bunches at a bunch spacing of 1 us are accelerated in one macro-pulse. The electron beam time structure is well suited for fast intra-train feedbacks using beam based measurements incorporated to the Low Level Radio Frequency (LLRF) control system of the accelerator structures to further improve the bunch compressions, bunch arrival and bunch energy stability directly impacting the quality of the FEL photon beam. In this paper, we present the beam based signal pre-processing, the implementation into LLRF system, the mandatory exception handling for robust operation and the imbedding of the real-time ~ 2us latency fast intra-train feedback with feedbacks for the removal of slow and repetitive errors. First results of the achieved intra-train bunch arrival and peak current stability will be presented together with observed limitations.
DESY, Hamburg
Uni HH, Hamburg
At FLASH, UV and soft X-Ray pulses with durations in the order of 10 fs are generated. To fully exploit the opportunities provided by these short laser pulses, an optical synchronization system provides the possibility to synchronize external lasers and stabilize the electron bunch arrival time with 10 fs precision. A seeded free-electron-laser (FEL) section, called sFLASH, is installed upstream of the existing SASE undulators. After higher-harmonic-generation, the femtosecond seed laser pulse needs to be temporarily and spatially overlapped with the electron bunch. Furthermore, for time-resolved pump-probe experiments, using an experimental laser and the FEL pulse, either of sFLASH or of the ordinary SASE process, the synchronization between pump and probe laser pulses is crucial. While the best performance for synchronizing these lasers within 10 fs will be achieved by using an optical cross-correlator, in this paper we present a precursor that relies on an RF-based locking mechanism. The setup includes a coarse and a fine phase measurement between the laser pulses of the reference and the synchronized system after their conversion to an RF signal.
MAX-lab, Lund
Lund University, Division of Atomic Physics, Lund
Electro-optical spectral decoding was used to on-line monitor the arrival time of the electron bunches relative to the seed laser pulse at the test FEL facility at MAX-lab. An infrared chirped pulse coming from the seed laser is influenced by an electron bunch induced birefringence in a ZnTe birefringent crystal and the arrival time is determined from its spectrum. The possibility of running simultaneously with the FEL allowed for a feedback scheme to be built to compensate for the long term drifts in the system. Also, the whole system (the accelerator and the lasers) were synchronized to the power grid frequency. This lock increased the stability and was monitored by the EO setup. Measurements of the bunch length were performed and their correlation with arrival time pointed towards main contributors to the jitter in the system.
BNL, Upton, Long Island, New York
OFFELO (optics-free FEL oscillator) is a brand new idea for obtaining hard X-ray wavelength radiation using an oscillator without concerning the damage to the mirror. By using an extra electron beam to transport the radiation information, OFFELO also provide pleasant flexibility compared with traditional oscillator scheme. We simulated the lasing process and carry out the saturation condition and explore other properties of this scheme.
DESY, Hamburg
Electron bunches at the free electron laser FLASH at DESY have a duration of 10 fs to 150 fs and an arrival-time jitter of about 150 fs (rms). It is anticipated that the newly installed optical synchronisation system will stabilize the seed and pump-probe lasers to within ~10 fs. In order to perform reliable and stable seeding, the electron bunch timing jitter needs to be reduced. Bunch arrival-time monitors measure the arrival-time fluctuations at different locations and are used in a beam-based feedback loop to correct the amplitude of the accelerator RF. In order to provide reliable operation and high availability of the bunch arrival-time feedback, intensive efforts have been undertaken in system automation and exception handling. This will be discussed along with the latest results and limitations on the stability of the arrival-times at FLASH.
Uni HH, Hamburg
DESY, Hamburg
The optical synchronization system of the free-electron laser in Hamburg (FLASH) is based on the stabilized pulse-train distribution of a passively mode-locked laser. This master laser oscillator is based on erbium-doped fiber technology and is built in a σ-configuration, enabling passive mode-locking through nonlinear polarization evolution. Recently, a commercial laser system has been installed in addition to the existing laser. Besides maintenance-free operation, this SESAM-based laser shows an even lower timing jitter, enabling a tighter synchronization to the accelerator's RF reference. In this paper we report on the commissioning, the characterization and the long-term stabilty of the new laser system, as well as on the performance of the laser with the existing pulse-train distribution scheme and optical front-ends of the synchronization system in comparison to the old one.
DESY, Hamburg
Warsaw University of Technology, Institute of Electronic Systems, Warsaw
Bunch arrival-time monitors measure the arrival-time of each bunch in the electron bunch train at several locations at FLASH. The temporal reference for the monitors is provided by the optical synchronization system which distributes laser pulses with a repetition rate of 216 MHz and a length of around 200 fs FWHM. The pulses are delivered to the monitors with an arrival-time stability of about 10 fs. The bunch arrival-time is encoded as an amplitude modulation of a laser pulse from the optical synchronization system. These laser pulse amplitudes need to be sampled and processed together with additional input parameters. Because the arrival-time information is used in a feedback loop to adjust the accelerator fields, the signal processing, calibration and transmission of the bunch arrival-time information via a low-latency, high-speed link to an accelerator RF control station is needed. The most challenging problems of the signal processing are the synchronisation of several clock domains, regeneration and conversion of optical laser pulses, on-line calibration, and exception handling.
PSI, Villigen
Transverse beam trajectory control is of great importance for SwissFEL as the lasing strategy is based on a relatively low energy and low emittance beam compared with other X-FEL facilities, thus aiming at a reasonable construction cost and size of the facility. A study of beam based alignment and orbit feedback has been performed, and a trajectory correction scenario, which would fulfill the beam requirements as well as the hardware constraints, has been set up. The beam based alignment will be discussed for the linac and the undulator section separately because of the much tighter tolerance in the latter. Several correction algorithms are examined using numerical simulations. BPM requirements and orbit feedback concept will be discussed, with reference to some available data on dynamic disturbances such as ground motion at the PSI site, e.g. at the SwissFEL injector test facility currently under commissioning.
SLAC, Menlo Park, California
Free Electron Lasers require a variety of beam diagnostics for tuning and feedback. This tutorial will cover radio frequency analog and digital signal processing as used in a variety of instrumentation including beam position, bunch length and arrival time monitors. It will also cover beam profile monitors including wire scanners, fluorescent screens, and optical transition radiation foils, including the issues with coherent emission from high brightness beams. In addition, it will discuss the unique requirements for X-ray instrumentation for existing and future XFELs.