WEIZB1
SLAC, Menlo Park, California, USA
X-ray free electron lasers (FEL) produce pulses of Angstrom wavelength light with a peak brightness more than one billion times that of a conventional synchrotron source. These pulses are enabling groundbreaking studies in a wide range of scientific fields. However, the X-ray pulses fluctuate significantly in space, time, intensity and spectrum. These fluctuations are a result of the self amplified spontaneous emission process as well as inherent limitations on the stability of the electron beam that drives the FEL. Such variations can significantly impact user experiments if left unmitigated. Photon diagnostics were developed and implemented at the Linac Coherent Light Source over the past 5 years to measure the pulse properties on a shot-by-shot basis. The design, performance and present limitations of these photon diagnostics will be presented.
