The Jefferson Laboratory IR Demo Project

The Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (formerly known as CEBAF) has embarked on the construction of a 1 kW free-electron laser operating initially at 5 microns that is designed for laser-material interaction experiments and to explore the feasibility of scaling the system in power for Navy defense and industrial applications. The accelerator system for this IR Demo includes a IO MeV photocathode-based injector, a 32 MeV CEBAF-style superconducting radio-frequency linac, and single-pass transport that accelerates the beam from injector to wiggler, followed by energy-recovery deceleration to a dump. The initial optical configuration is a conventional near-concentric resonator with transmissive outcoupling. Following commissioning, the laser output will be extended to an operating range of 3-to-6.6 microns, and distributed to six labs in a user facility built with funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia. A description of the machine and facility and the project status are presented.