Laser system design for table-top X-ray light source

Anne-Laure Calendron,Yi Hua,Aram Kalaydzhyan,Guoqing Chang,Arya Fallahi,Damian N Schimpf,Franz X Kärtner,Joachim Meier,Michael Hemmer,Huseyin Cankaya,Fabian Reichert,Nicholas H Matlis,Luis E Zapata

doi:10.1017/hpl.2018.5

Abstract

We present possible conceptual designs of a laser system for driving table-top free-electron lasers based on terahertz acceleration. After discussing the achievable performances of laser amplifiers with Yb:YAG at cryogenic and room temperature and Yb:YLF at cryogenic temperature, we present amplification modules with available results and concepts of amplifier chains based on these laser media. Their performances are discussed in light of the specifications for the tasks within the table-top light source. Technical and engineering challenges, such as cooling, control, synchronization and diagnostics, are outlined. Three concepts for the laser layout feeding the accelerator are eventually derived and presented.

Highlights

Several laser facilities for strong-field physics experiments such as generation of attosecond pulses[1], electron acceleration[2], proton acceleration[3, 4] or X-ray generation[5], have been or are currently being built around the world
We present possible conceptual designs of a laser system for driving table-top free-electron lasers based on terahertz acceleration
After discussing the achievable performances of laser amplifiers with Yb:YAG at cryogenic and room temperature and Yb:YLF at cryogenic temperature, we present amplification modules with available results and concepts of amplifier chains based on these laser media

Summary

Introduction

Several laser facilities for strong-field physics experiments such as generation of attosecond pulses[1], electron acceleration[2], proton acceleration[3, 4] or X-ray generation[5], have been or are currently being built around the world. The ‘table-top’ free-electron laser (FEL) powered by terahertz (THz) radiation proposed in the project AXSIS (Frontiers in attosecond X-ray science: imaging and spectroscopy) in 2016[5] is part of the current intense research on alternative technologies to traditional, radio frequency (RF) based FELs[6,7,8], which are very powerful but complex, large and expensive structures. These devices are few in number, resulting in very high demand and very limited access.

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