Statistical analysis of the chaotic optical field from a self-amplified spontaneous-emission free-electron laser

We use Rice's theory of shot noise random processes to provide a statistical analysis of the evolution of the amplitude and phase of the chaotic optical field from a high-gain, self-amplified, spontaneous-emission (SASE) free-electron laser. The theoretical framework developed is compared with recent frequency-resolved optical-gating measurements of the SASE output at the LEUTL facility at Argonne National Laboratory.