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Optical enhancement cavities enabling laser pulses to be coherently stacked in free space are used in several applications to enhance accessible optical power. In this study, we develop an optical cavity that accumulates harmonically mode-locked laser pulses with a self-resonating mechanism for X-ray sources based on laser-Compton scattering. In particular, a Fabry-Perot cavity composed of 99% reflectance mirrors maintained the optical resonance in a feedback-free fashion for more than half an hour and automatically resumed the accumulation even if the laser oscillation was suspended. In contrast to conventional optical enhancement cavity systems with a dedicated feedback controller, this characteristic is highly beneficial in practical applications, such as for laser-Compton scattering X-ray sources. Lastly, upscaling and adoption of the proposed system might improve the operability and equipment use of laser Compton-scattering X-ray sources.

A cycle of measurements of the polarization characteristics of coherent transition radiation and coherent diffraction radiation at the LUCX accelerator has been performed. It has been shown that the results of measurements of the linear polarization component in both cases are well described by a theoretical model according to which the degree of elliptical polarization of diffraction radiation is close to 100%. This fact indicates a significant contribution (up to 90%) of the circularly polarized component of diffraction radiation for radiation angles with respect to the direction of mirror reflection exceeding γ−; (γ is the Lorentz factor).

For future linear colliders, a nanometer-scale beam size at the interaction point (IP) is one of the most challenging technical aspects. To explore the feasibility of a final focus system with a high chromaticity level, comparable to that of the Compact Linear Collider, the ultralow ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{*}$ optics has been proposed and tuned at the KEK Accelerator Test Facility 2. In this paper, the recent experimental results are presented, which demonstrate the capability of achieving and stabilizing a vertical average beam size of 60 nm and below at the virtual IP. The observed vertical beam size is about 20 nm above the numerical predictions in the presence of static and dynamic imperfections. We interpret this discrepancy as beam size growth due to multipole fields, beam jitters and wakefield effects, and diagnostic errors.

The development of linac–based narrow–band THz sources with sub–picosecond, $$\mu J$$ μ J -level radiation pulses is in demand from the scientific community. Intrinsically monochromatic emitters such as coherent Smith–Purcell radiation sources appear as natural candidates. However, the lack of broad spectral tunability continues to stimulate active research in this field. We hereby present the first experimental investigation of coherent grating diffraction radiation (GDR), for which comparable radiation intensity with central frequency fine–tuning in a much wider spectral range has been confirmed. Additionally, the approach allows for bandwidth selection at the same central frequency. The experimental validation of performance included the basic spectral, spatial and polarization properties. The discussion of the comparison between GDR intensity and other coherent radiation sources is also presented. These results further strengthen the foundation for the design of a tabletop wide–range tunable quasi–monochromatic or multi–colour radiation source in the GHz–THz frequency range.

A compact accelerator based super-radiant THz source is under development at Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi. The facility is based on the principle of pre-bunched Free Electron Laser (FEL) which will produce THz radiation in the range of ∼ 0.18 to 3 THz from a modulated electron beam. A photocathode electron gun will generate a short train of micro-bunches (a “comb” beam) driven by a fibre laser system capable of producing multi micro-pulse laser beam with variable separation (“comb” laser pulse). Upon acceleration, the electron beam will be injected in to a compact undulator magnet tuned to the same frequency as the separation of the electron micro-bunches. The paper discusses the process of enhancement of super-radiant emission of radiation due to modulation in the comb beam and the conditions required to achieve maximum enhancement of the radiation power. The feasibility study of generating a comb beam at the photocathode and its transport through the beamline while preserving its temporal structure has been reported. To evaluate the characteristics of the radiation emitted from the comb beam, a C + + based particle tracker and Liẽnard–Wiechert field solver has been developed. The conceptual understanding of the emission of radiation from comb beam is shown to conform with the numerical results. The code has been used to calculate the radiation pulse energy emitted into the central cone of undulator for various comb beam configurations.

We consider a charged particle bunch passing along the axis of a semi-infinite open-ended circular vacuum waveguide placed into a collinear infinite waveguide with larger radius. The rigorous solution of this problem is constructed using residue-calculus technique. Analytical expressions for the Fourier harmonics of the field components are obtained in each domain of the structure. Numerical integration over frequency is also performed and time-domain field dependencies are obtained. The analytical results are compared with the results of the numerical simulation and an excellent agreement is observed. In particular, we report on the effect of a “bunch image,” a radiation pulse is generated in the coaxial area and has the form of the transverse electric field correlating with the longitudinal charge distribution within the bunch.

This paper numerically and experimentally demonstrates the influence of the space charge forces in short electron bunches on the spectrum of coherent transition radiation. To estimate and optimize dimensions of a short electron bunches produced by the KEK LUCX RF gun, ASTRA software was employed. Obtained results indicate that the modification of the femtosecond UV laser pulse transverse profile allows to decrease the space charge forces. The simulation results were confirmed experimentally with the good agreement.

Grating transition radiation (GTR) emitted by electrons interacting with a diffraction grating was experimentally confirmed. This radiation appears when a charge intersects the grating at some inclination angle θ between the main grating plane and the charge velocity vector. If the condition θ = 0 is fulfilled the GTR tends to the conventional Smith-Purcell radiation. In this report we present the experimental investigation of spectral and orientation dependencies of a coherent GTR in sub-THz wavelength region emitted by 8 MeV electron at KEK LUCX facility. The coherent GTR spectral line shapes up to 5th diffraction order were measured for different inclination angles (θ = 0–25 deg) with the grating period 4 mm. A pair of room-temperature Schottky barrier diode (SBD) detectors with sensitivity bands 60–90 GHz and 320–460 GHz were used. The estimation of radiation frequency dependence on the inclination angle using the dispersion relation justifies the usage of different narrow-band SBD detectors to investigate different diffraction orders of coherent GTR spectral lines. It was shown that the bandwidth of the GTR spectral lines decreases with the diffraction order. The comparison with coherent transition radiation in the same frequency range showed that the brightness of both radiation mechanisms are comparable.

A project to construct a compact pre-bunched Free Electron Laser by using a normal conducting photocathode electron gun has been undertaken at Inter University Accelerator Centre (IUAC), New Delhi, India. In this facility, the short laser pulses from a high power laser system will be split into many pulses (2–16) commonly known as ‘Comb beam’ and will strike the photocathode material (metal and semiconductor) to produce electron beam bunches. The electrons will be accelerated up to an energy of ∼8 MeV by a copper cavity operated at a frequency of 2860 MHz and the beam will be injected into a compact, planar permanent undulator magnet to produce THz radiation. The radiation frequency designed to be tuned in the range of 0.15–3 THz by varying the magnetic field of the undulator and/or changing the energy of the electron. The separation of the laser micro-pulses will be varied by adjusting the path length difference to alter the separation of the electron micro-bunches and to maximise the radiation intensity.

We present recent achievements in the application of optical diffraction radiation (ODR) to the measurement of the transverse beam size of a 1.3 GeV micrometer-size electron beam performed with an instrument installed in the extended extraction line of the KEK Accelerator Test Facility. ODR is a recent technique for the measurement of the transverse size and emittance of highly relativistic particle beams. ODR has the advantage of being a noninvasive and relatively inexpensive technique and is a candidate for the operation of linear particle accelerators, where no simple alternatives (e.g., synchrotron radiation) are available. In an effort to improve the resolution and performance, we establish an alternative target microfabrication technology, adopt solutions to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, and perform an experiment in the UV spectrum at 250 nm. With such a configuration, a transverse beam size as low as $3\phantom{\rule{0.2em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ is measured, drastically improving on past measurements reported in the literature. In light of these results, ODR, when combined with a high-resolution optical-transition-radiation monitor, represents a credible diagnostics solution for low-emittance high-intensity particle beams.

The Cherenkov effect is a well-known phenomenon and its properties are widely used in many fields of physics. However, some features of the polarization characteristics of Cherenkov radiation that appears when charged particles pass near azimuthally asymmetric, finite dielectric targets are still poorly studied. This problem is solved in this work. The polarization characteristics of Cherenkov radiation in the case of a rectangular dielectric screen are analyzed using the Stokes approach. Owing to the azimuthal asymmetry of the target, radiation acquires an elliptic polarization whose rotation direction and inclination angle depend both on the direction of radiation propagation and on the dielectric properties of a substance. The results demonstrate that the Cherenkov effect can be used to create sources of elliptically polarized radiation with the controlled direction of polarization rotation.

Transition radiation appearing when a charged particle crosses the interface between two media with different dielectric constants, e.g., a metal–vacuum interface, has been well studied in a wide spectral range. However, primarily, radiation from smooth interfaces has been studied. Transition radiation from conducting gratings (grating transition radiation) is experimentally studied and theoretically analyzed in this work. In this case, it is possible to obtain monochromatic radiation with a tunable frequency depending on the rotation angle of the grating with respect to the electron momentum. Coherent grating transition radiation can be efficiently used as a source of terahertz radiation based on the use of a compact electron accelerator with an energy below 10 MeV and a bunch duration of ≤1 ps.

We report the results of experimental and theoretical studies of monochromatic coherent terahertz radiation generated by a short relativistic electron bunch interacting with a metasurface. The metasurface consists of subwavelength metal elements arranged on a dielectric substrate. The constructed theory explains the experimental spectra of Smith–Purcell radiation and grating transition radiation with very high precision. The orientational distribution of transition radiation shows a fine structure, which, as we suppose, may be due to contribution of coupling between the metasurface’s elements.

We consider a semi-infinite open-ended cylindrical waveguide with uniform dielectric filling placed into collinear infinite vacuum waveguide with larger radius. Electromagnetic field produced by a point charge or Gaussian bunch moving along structure’s axis from the dielectric waveguide into the vacuum one is investigated. We utilize the modified residue-calculus technique and obtain rigorous analytical solution of the problem by determining coefficients of mode excitation in each subarea of the structure. The main attention is paid to analysis of penetration of Cherenkov radiation into vacuum regions of the outer waveguide. Numerical simulations in cst Particle Studio are also performed (for long enough bunch exciting the first Cherenkov mode only) and an excellent agreement between analytical and simulated results is shown. The discussed structure can be used for generation of Terahertz radiation by modulated bunches (bunch trains) by means of high-order Cherenkov modes. In this case, due to high frequencies numerical simulations become extremely difficult while the developed analytical technique still remains the efficient approach for calculation of the radiation characteristics.

Accelerator-based terahertz (THz) radiation has been expected to realize a high-power broadband source. Employing a low-emittance and short-bunch electron beam at a high repetition rate, a scheme of coherent diffraction-radiation in an optical cavity layout is proposed. The scheme's stimulated radiation process between bunches can greatly enhance the efficiency of the radiation emission. We performed an experiment with a superconducting linac constructed as an energy recovery linac (ERL) test facility. The electron beam passes through small holes in the cavity mirrors without being destroyed. A sharp THz resonance signal, which indicates broadband stimulated radiation correlated with beam deceleration, was observed while scanning the round-trip length of the cavity. This observation proves the efficient beam-to-radiation energy conversion due to the stimulated radiation process., Comment: 13 pages , 20 figures

Accelerator-based terahertz (THz) radiation has been expected to realize a high-power broad-band source. Employing a low-emittance and short-bunch electron beam at a high repetition rate, a scheme to resonantly excite optical cavity modes of THz spectrum range via coherent diffraction radiation has been proposed. The confocal cavity design is the special case that resonance conditions of all the eigen modes coincide, resulting in realizing broad-band excitation. But in general cases of non-confocal cavities, the resonance condition depends on the mode, and the resonance peak becomes wide and weak. We performed an experiment with a non-confocal cavity as a follow-up experiment of that we have done with a confocal cavity. The result confirmed that the confocal design is the key for a broad-band source., Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia

The main objective of the project is to build a high resolution time-profile monitor for femtosecond electron beams, based on the spectral analysis of coherent Smith-Purcell radiation (cSPr). The monitor will be capable of determining the electron bunch time profile non-destructively and on a shot-by-shot basis. The results of recent experimental and theoretical studies are presented, and the conceptual design of the monitor is discussed.

With a low emittance and short-bunch electron beam at a high repetition rate realized by a superconducting linac, stimulated excitation of an optical cavity at the terahertz spectrum range has been shown. The electron beam passed through small holes in the cavity mirrors without being destroyed. A sharp resonance structure which indicated wide-band stimulated emission via coherent diffraction radiation was observed while scanning the round-trip length of the cavity.

We investigated a corrugated mm-scale capillary as a compact accelerating structure in the driver-witness acceleration scheme, and suggested a methodology to measure the acceleration of the witness bunch. The accelerating fields produced by the driver bunch and the energy spread of the witness bunch in a corrugated capillary and in a capillary with a constant inner radius were measured and simulated for both on-axis and off-axis beam propagation. Our simulations predicted a change in the accelerating field structure for the corrugated capillary. Also, an approximately twofold increase of the witness bunch energy gain on the first accelerating cycle was expected for both capillaries for the off-axis beam propagation. These results were confirmed in the experiment, and the maximum measured acceleration of $170\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{keV}/\mathrm{m}$ at 20 pC driver beam charge was achieved for off-axis beam propagation. The driver bunch showed an increase in energy spread of up to 11%, depending on the capillary geometry and beam propagation, with a suppression of the longitudinal energy spread in the witness bunch of up to 15%.

Micro-bunched particle beams are used for a wide range of research including tunable sources of THz radiation. In most of the applications accurate and non-destructive monitoring of the bunch-to-bunch separation is required. We present the results of proof-of-principle experiments on measuring the distance between two micro-bunches via the analysis of the coherent Smith-Purcell signal amplitude modulation. The proposed monitor can be used to provide feedback to control the sum-millimeter distances between the femtosecond long micro-bunches to stabilize the operation of a THz oscillator or to position the witness bunch into the right phase of the wakefield.

International audience; In circular colliders, as well as in damping rings and synchrotron radiation light sources, beam halo is one of the critical issues limiting the performance as well as potentially causing component damage and activation. It is imperative to clearly understand the mechanisms that lead to halo formation and to test the available theoretical models. Elastic beam-gas scattering can drive particles to large oscillation amplitudes and be a potential source of beam halo. In this paper, numerical estimation and Monte Carlo simulations of this process at the ATF of KEK are presented. Experimental measurements of beam halo in the ATF2 beam line using a diamond sensor detector are also described, which clearly demonstrate the influence of the beam-gas scattering process on the transverse halo distribution.

Quasi-monochromatic X-rays with high brightness have a broad range of applications in fields such as life sciences, bio-, medical applications, and microlithography. One method for generating such X-rays is via inverse Compton scattering (ICS). X-ray generation experiments using ICS were carried out at the superconducting RF test facility (STF) accelerator at KEK. A new beam line, newly developed four-mirror optical cavity system, and new X-ray detector system were prepared for experiments downstream section of the STF electron accelerator. Amplified pulsed photons were accumulated into a four-mirror optical cavity and collided with an incoming 40 MeV electron beam. The generated X-rays were detected using a microchannel plate (MCP) detector for X-ray yield measurements and a new silicon-on-insulator (SOI) detector system for energy measurements. The detected X-ray yield by the MCP detector was 1756.8±272.2 photons/(244 electron bunches). To extrapolate this result to 1 ms train length under 5 Hz operations, 4.60×10 5 photons/1%-bandwidth were obtained. The peak X-ray energy, which was confirmed by the SOI detector, was 29 keV, and this is consistent with ICS X-rays.

This paper demonstrates the detailed design concept, alignment, and initial testing of a Michelson interferometer for the THz spectral range. We present the first results on the measurement of a coherent transition radiation spectrum and describe the performance of a pair of ultra-fast broadband room temperature Schottky barrier diode detectors. We discuss the main criteria of interferometer beam splitter optimization, the alignment technique, the high-precision calibration and linearity check of the motion system.

Optical Transition Radiation (OTR) appearing when a charged particle crosses a boundary between two media with different dielectric properties has widely been used as a tool for transverse profile measurements of charged particle beams in numerous facilities worldwide. The resolution of the conventional monitors is defined by the dimensions of the Point Spread Function (PSF) distribution, i.e. the source distribution generated by a single electron and projected by an optical system onto a detector. The PSF form significantly depends on various parameters of the optical system like diffraction of the OTR tails, spherical and chromatic aberrations. The beam image is a convolution of the PSF with a transverse electron distribution in a beam. In our experiment we designed and built a system that can measure the transverse electron beam size through the analysis of the PSF distribution shape. In this paper we present the hardware, data analysis, calibration technique, a discussion on the main source of uncertainties and initial measurements of a micron-scale electron beam size with sub-micrometre resolution.

To obtain high-brightness quasi-monochromatic X-rays via inverse Compton scattering (ICS), an optical cavity for intensifying laser beams was designed and implemented in a new beam line at the KEK Superconducting RF Test Facility (STF) accelerator. The optical cavity adopts a planar configuration consisting of 4 mirrors. This confocal type resonator provides stable laser storage even with a long mirror distance, enabling head-on collision with the electron beams. To overcome the well-known astigmatism problems of the planar-type optical cavity, two forcibly bendable cylindrical mirrors were introduced instead of flat mirrors. With this new function for laser profile adjustment, an almost round laser profile at the waist point in the accelerator environment was successfully achieved. Estimated waist sizes were 43.7 μm for the horizontal and 50.8 μm for the vertical dimensions. The feedback control of this 4-mirror optical cavity worked with a stiff plate supporting all 4 mirrors. 1.7×10 3 finesse and 2.8-kW stored power for a 1-ms duration with 5 Hz were achieved.

Investigation of coherent Smith-Purcell Radiation (SPR) spectral characteristics was performed both experimentally and by numerical simulation. The measurement of SPR spectral line shapes of different diffraction orders was carried out at KEK LUCX facility. A pair of room-temperature Schottky barrier diode (SBD) detectors with sensitivity bands of $60-90$~GHz and $320-460$~GHz was used in the measurements. Reasonable agreement of experimental results and simulations performed with CST Studio Suite justifies the use of different narrow-band SBD detectors to investigate different SPR diffraction orders. It was shown that monochromaticity of the SPR spectral lines increases with diffraction order. The comparison of coherent transition radiation and coherent SPR intensities in sub-THz frequency range showed that the brightnesses of both radiation mechanisms were comparable. A fine tuning feasibility of the SPR spectral lines is discussed., Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, 3 tables

In this report we present experimental investigations of THz radiation generated from a corrugated and a non-corrugated capillary with reflectors, using a femtosecond electron beam of LUCX accelerator at KEK, Japan. We discuss measurements of radiation angular distributions and their comparison with Particle In Cell simulations, and also investigate an off-central propagation of the beam in the capillaries based on experimental measurements and simulations., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

A compact prototype four-mirror optical cavity is being constructed at KEK-ATF to measure lowemittance electron beams in the damping ring. Four-mirror-resonators reduce the sensitivity to the misalignment of mirrors in comparison to two mirror-resonators. The aspect ratio is important when constructing a compact resonator with a very small beam waist of less than 5 mm. The total cavity length of a four-mirror resonator is matched according to the pulse repetition of mode-locked laser oscillator. Minimum beam waist is obtained in the sagittal plane using an IR pulsed laser. The advantage of such types of compact four-mirror-resonators is the total scanning time for measurement of the beam profile is much shorter in comparison to a CW laser wire system. By using a pulsed green laser that has been converted to the second harmonics from an IR pulsed laser, a minimum beam waist that has half the beam waist when using an IR laser oscillator can be obtained. Therefore, it is possible to obtain the beam waist of less than 5 m m( s value) that is required for effective photon–electron collision. We report on the development and performance studies for such types of compact fourmirror laser wire systems.

A new laser-wire has been installed in the extraction line of the ATF at KEK. It aims at demonstrating that laser-wires can be used to measure micrometre scale beam size. In parallel, studies have been made to specify a laser suitable for the ILC laser-wires. © Indian Academy of Sciences.

The KEK Accelerator test facility (ATF) extraction line laser-wire system has recently been upgraded allowing the measurement of micron scale transverse size electron beams. We report on the hardware upgrades, including focusing lens, laser diagnostics and mechanical systems. The first measurements using the new system from recent operation at the ATF are presented.

A fast room temperature microwave detection system based on the Schottky Barrier-diode detector was created at the KEK ATF (Accelerator Test Facility). It was tested using Coherent Synchrotron Radiation (CSR) generated by the 1.28 GeV electron beam in the damping ring. The speed performance of the detection system was checked by observing the CSR from a multi-bunch (2.8 ns bunch separation time) beam. The theoretical estimations of CSR power yield from an edge of bending magnet as well as new injection tuning method are presented. A very high sensitivity of CSR power yield to the longitudinal electron distribution in a bunch is discussed.

This paper demonstrates the application of a polarization current approach to estimate the yield of soft x-ray Cherenkov radiation when a charged particle travels in the vicinity of a finite-size screen. To account for resonant anomalous dispersion of the complex permittivity, we apply the formalism for the atomic scattering factor. We derived the simple analytical expression for the radiation field, which allows us to determine all properties for a wide energy range of emitted radiation of a charged particle. The influence of screen sizes on Cherenkov radiation characteristics is determined by macroscopic and microscopic approaches.

Optical transition radiation (OTR) has become a commonly used method for 2D beam imaging measurements. In the Accelerator Test Facility 2 (ATF2) at KEK, beam sizes smaller than the OTR point spread function have been measured. Simulations of the OTR imaging system have been performed using the ZEMAX software to study the effects of optical errors such as aberrations, diffraction, and misalignments of optical components. This paper presents a comparison of simulations of the OTR point spread function with experimental data obtained at ATF2. It shows how the quantification and control of optical errors impacts on optimizing the resolution of the system. We also show that the OTR point spread function needs to be predicted accurately to optimize any optical system and to predict the error made on measurement.

A short electron bunch with length σ passing through a slit in the diffraction radiation (DR) target generates radiation with a broad spectrum. Optical part of the spectrum (incoherent radiation) may be used for beam size measurements, but in the wavelength range λ ⩾ σ radiation becomes coherent. The coherent DR spectrum per each electron in a bunch is equal to single electron spectrum times by the number of electrons in a bunch N e and bunch form factor. For SLAC FFTB conditions ( N e ∼ 10 10 , σ = 0.7 mm, outer target size R ∼ 10 mm, slit width h ∼ 0.1 mm) we approximated coherent DR (CDR) spectrum by coherent transition radiation (TR) one because in the wavelength region λ ∼ σ ≫ h TR and DR spectra coincide with high accuracy. Changing the DR target by a TR target with projection on the plane perpendicular to electron beam as a circle with radius R ⩽ 20 mm we calculated CDR spectra using simple model. Knowing the CDR spectrum we estimated the energy CDR emitting by each electron in the perpendicular direction (due to target inclination angle 45°). It means an electron receives the radiation recoil in this direction. In other words, electron has a transverse kick about 1 μrad that may be considered as permissible.

Using the pre-bunched electron beam of 5 MeV linear accelerator the coherent Smith–Purcell radiation (CSPR) from a flat periodic target (made of conductive layers separated by dielectric gaps) in millimeter wavelength region has been investigated. The angular distribution of this radiation was measured with a narrow-band detector and experimental data agree with our theoretical calculations for similar kind of targets. Such properties of Smith–Purcell radiation as strong dependence of radiation wavelength on the observation angle overlapping with coherent radiation effect may be used for a noninvasive bunch length measurement. The possibility of using the room temperature detectors for single bunch measurements is demonstrated.

The theory of transition radiation (TR) from an ideally conducting infinite target is well known. During the last several years the theory of diffraction radiation (DR) from simple geometry targets has further been developed. In a few experiments coherent TR and coherent DR were used to measure the electron bunch length. However, experimental investigations of coherent TR (or DR) look rather poor for finite size targets. The experimental results of investigation of coherent backward transition radiation (CBTR) and coherent backward diffraction radiation (CBDR) are presented. The intensity of CBTR and CBDR from a finite conducting target for different impact-parameters depending on the target inclination angle θ (θ-scan) has been investigated using the 6 MeV electron beam of the Tomsk microtron. The model allowing to calculate both TR and DR characteristics for any impact-parameter h (the shortest distance between particle trajectory and target edge) was developed and tested by comparison with experimental results. The calculations were performed for the real experimental conditions. For γλ ≫ h (γ – Lorentz-factor, λ – TR (DR) wavelength) and large detector bandwidth γ ( λ max - λ min ) h > 1 the measured TR angular distribution shows a single maximum only (like DR one) in contrast to a lobe-shaped OTR distribution.

The design of free-electron lasers (FELs) based on submillimeter-range undulators involves difficulties associated with the fabrication of undulators with a very small period. To do this also requires accelerators with high-energy electron beams (>50 MeV). It should also be taken into account that these facilities use precision and expensive magnetic systems. In some works, an alternative FEL mechanism based on the use of the Smith-Purcell radiation (SPR) was considered. To realize the feedback in such an FEL, one must use a basically different cavity scheme. This work reports the results of experimental study on the stimulated SPR in a “transverse” cavity.

A free electron laser design is considered in which coherent radiation is generated during the flight of a bunched electron beam near a periodic metal target (Smith–Parsell radiation). If the target (array) is placed in a special resonator, optical feedback can be realized. It is proposed to use an array made of thin conductive strips separated with vacuum gaps, since the radiation output in this case is much higher than that attainable with conventional arrays. Varying the array parameters, one can choose the necessary direction and required spectral distribution of the Smith–Parsell radiation. When radiation is generated in the direction normal to the trajectory of the electron beam, the array acts as one of the resonator mirrors.

The design of a compact Fabry-Pérot interferometer (FPi) and results of the experimental studies carried out using the device are presented. Our FPi uses freestanding wire-grid polarizers (WGPs) as beamsplitters and is suitable for use at terahertz (THz) frequencies. The FPi was studied at the LUCX facility, KEK, Japan, and an 8 MeV linear electron accelerator was used to generate coherent Smith-Purcell radiation. The FPi was designed to be easy to align and reposition for experiments at linear accelerator facilities. All of the components used were required to have a flat or well understood frequency response in the THz range. The performance of the FPi with WGPs was compared to that of a Michelson interferometer and the FPi is seen to perform well. The effectiveness of the beamsplitters used in the FPi is also investigated. Measurements made with the FPi using WGPs, the preferred beamsplitters, are compared to measurements made with the FPi using silicon wafers as alternative beamsplitters. The FPi performs well with both types of beamsplitter in the frequency range used (0.3-0.5 THz). The successful measurements taken with the FPi demonstrate a compact and adaptable interferometer that is capable of analyzing THz radiation over a broad frequency range. The scheme is particularly well suited for polarization studies of THz radiation produced in an accelerator environment.

We present the first-principles theory of Smith-Purcell effect from the concave dotted grating consisting of bent chains of separated micro- or nanoparticles. The numerical analysis demonstrates that the obtained spectral-angular distributions change significantly depending on the structure of the grating.

Success in design and construction of a compact, high-brightness accelerator system is strongly related to the production of ultra-short electron beams. Recently, the approach to generate short electron bunches or pre-bunched beams in RF guns directly illuminating a high quantum efficiency semiconductor photocathode with femtosecond laser pulses has become attractive. The measurements of the photocathode response time in this case are essential. With an approach of the interferometer-type pulse splitter deep integration into a commercial Ti:Sa laser system used for RF guns, it has become possible to generate pre-bunched electron beams and obtain continuously variable electron bunch separation. In combination with a well-known zero-phasing technique, it allows us to estimate the response time of the most commonly used Cs2Te photocathode. It was demonstrated that the peak-to-peak rms time response of Cs2Te is of the order of 370 fs, and thereby, it is possible to generate and control a THz sequence of relativistic electron bunches by a conventional S-band RF gun. This result can also be applied for investigation of other cathode materials and electron beam temporal shaping and further opens a possibility to construct wide-range tunable, table-top THz free electron laser.

A theoretical model and results of experiments on optical polarization radiation of relativistic electrons from conducting targets performed on the synchrotron and microtron of Nuclear Physics Institute at Tomsk Polytechnic University are reported. The measurements of spectral characteristics of resonance polarization radiation in periodic targets over a wide range of electron energies (both in the Smyth–Purcell geometry and for different angles between the targets and the direction of the electron beam) show reasonable agreement with theoretical estimates.

A laserwire is a non-invasive, high resolution particle beam size monitor based on Compton scattering that is required for future planned colliders and can also be used to estimate the size of the source in wakefield acceleration experiments. We present recent results from the high resolution laserwire transverse electron beam diagnostic installed at the Accelerator Test Facility 2 (ATF2) electron accelerator at KEK in Japan. Full characterisation of the propagation of the 150 mJ, 77 ps laser beam is used to deconvolve the transverse laserwire profile demonstrating the successful measurement of 1 μm scale vertical electron beam sizes, even with extreme aspect ratios. We also present progress in the development of high energy photonic crystal fibre based laser systems for laserwire measurements at megahertz repetition rates, suitable for intra-train scanning for planned accelerators such as the International Linear Collider, or beam size measurement in laser or particle driven plasma accelerators. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A novel scheme for the focusing of high-energy leptons in future linear colliders was proposed in 2001 [ P. Raimondi and A. Seryi , Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 , 3779 ( 2001 ) ]. This scheme has many advantageous properties over previously studied focusing schemes, including being significantly shorter for a given energy and having a significantly better energy bandwidth. Experimental results from the ATF2 accelerator at KEK are presented that validate the operating principle of such a scheme by demonstrating the demagnification of a 1.3 GeV electron beam down to below 65 nm in height using an energy-scaled version of the compact focusing optics designed for the ILC collider.

A laserwire transverse electron beam size measurement system has been developed and operated at the Accelerator Test Facility 2 (ATF2) at KEK. Special electron beam optics were developed to create an approximately 1 x 100 {\mu}m (vertical x horizontal) electron beam at the laserwire location, which was profiled using a 150 mJ, 71 ps laser pulse with a wavelength of 532 nm. The precise characterisation of the laser propagation allows the non-Gaussian transverse profiles of the electron beam caused by the laser divergence to be deconvolved. A minimum vertical electron beam size of 1.07 ${\pm}$ 0.06 (stat.) ${\pm}$ 0.05 (sys.) {\mu}m was measured. A vertically focussing quadrupole just before the laserwire was varied whilst making laserwire measurements and the projected vertical emittance was measured to be 82.56 ${\pm}$ 3.04 pm rad., Comment: 17 pages, 26 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams

We present an initial test of a new type of a pre-bunched beam pumped free electron maser based on Stimulated Coherent Diffraction Radiation (SCDR) generated in an open resonator. An ultra-fast Schottky Barrier Diode (time response $