Electron beam bunch length characterizations using incoherent and coherent transition radiation on the APS SASE FEL project

The Advanced Photon Source (APS) injector linac has been reconfigured with a low-emittance RF thermionic gull and a photocathode (PC) RF gun to support self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) free-electron laser (FEL) experiments. One of the most critical parameters for optimizing SASE performance (gain length) is the electron beam peak current, which requires a charge measurement and a bunch length measurement capability. We report here initial measurements of the latter using both incoherent optical transition radiation (OTR) and coherent transition radiation (CTR). A visible light Hamamatsu C5680 synchroscan streak camera was used to measure the thermionic RF gun beam's bunch length (sigma similar to 2-3 ps) via OTR generated by the beam at 220 MeV and 200 mA macropulse average current. In addition, a CTR monitor (Michelson Interferometer) based on a Golay cell as the far-infrared (FIR) detector has been installed at the 40-MeV station in the beamline. Initial observations of CTR signal strength variation with gull cc-magnet current and interferograms have been obtained. Progress in characterizing the beam at these locations and a comparison to other bunch length determinations will be presented. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.