Design of a Compact Optically-Guided Pinched Megawatt Class FEL

Abstract

A conceptual design for a compact megawatt class FEL operating at 1 micro is presented. The proposed FEL consists of an optically guided, pinched amplifier configuration driven by an RF linac. The gain length, efficiency, electron pulse slippage and the distance between the wiggler and first relay mirror are determined for a megawatt class design. Of particular concern in the design is the overall length of the optical system, i.e., wiggler length and distance to the first relay mirror. In the present design the wiggler length is ^1 meter, and the distance between the first relay mirror and the wiggler is determined by the average intensity damage threshold on the mirror. By focusing the electron beam, the optical beam can be pinched upon exiting the wiggler. The pinched optical beam has a reduced Rayleigh length, which permits the first relay mirror to be relatively close to the wiggler. By pinching the optical beam and employing grazing incidence, the first relay mirror can be located within ^3 meters of the wiggler.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 09, 2004
Accession Number
ADA422208

Entities

People

  • Bahman Hafizi
  • Phillip A. Sprangle

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Amplifiers
  • Contracts
  • Corpuscular Radiation
  • Directed Energy Weapons
  • Efficiency
  • Electron Beams
  • Electrons
  • Free Electron Lasers
  • Free Electrons
  • Gain
  • High Gain
  • Intensity
  • Lasers
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Military Research
  • Power Gain
  • Radiation

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Microelectronics