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Controllable X-Ray Pulse Trains from Enhanced Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission
Joseph P Duris1, James P MacArthur1, James M Glownia1
1SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, California 94025, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|March 30, 2021
Summary
Researchers demonstrated optical compression of electron beams to create controllable soft x-ray pulse trains using the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) free-electron laser (FEL). This breakthrough enables precise control over femtosecond pulse generation for advanced scientific applications.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Laser Science
- Particle Accelerators
Background:
- Free-electron lasers (FELs) produce high-intensity coherent radiation.
- Achieving ultrashort pulse durations and precise control over pulse trains is crucial for advanced spectroscopy.
- Existing methods for electron beam manipulation have limitations in generating controlled x-ray pulse structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate optical compression of an electron beam for generating controllable soft x-ray pulse trains.
- To investigate the use of enhanced self-amplified spontaneous emission (ESASE) with a 2 μm laser and a dechirper device for pulse control.
- To advance capabilities for attosecond spectroscopy and future FEL schemes.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) free-electron laser (FEL).
- Employed enhanced self-amplified spontaneous emission (ESASE) with a 2 μm laser to modulate electron beam energy.
- Used a chicane for electron beam compression and a dechirper device for selective control of the lasing region.
Main Results:
- Successfully achieved optical compression of the electron beam, leading to high current spikes that lase.
- Demonstrated the production of controllable trains of femtosecond, soft x-ray pulses.
- Controlled the number of pulses within a train (1 to 5 pulses) by adjusting dechirper position and undulator taper.
- Field autocorrelation measurements confirmed the pulsed nature of the generated x-ray output.
Conclusions:
- The demonstrated optical compression technique provides a novel method for generating controlled soft x-ray pulse trains.
- This work represents a significant step towards attosecond spectroscopy using x-ray FELs.
- The ability to control pulse train characteristics opens new avenues for FEL development and applications.
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