Using I-TOF spectrometry to measure photon energies at FELs

Abstract

Due to the stochastic nature of the Self Amplifying Spontaneous Emission (SASE) process and the resulting pulse-to-pulse fluctuations of the Free Electron Laser (FEL) photon energies, experimenters working with FELs need to get real-time feedback about the photon properties for their experiments. Investigations of narrow atomic or molecular resonances, phase transitions, or any other kind of effect heavily dependent on photon energy would need to know the precise FEL photon energy for each individual photon bunch. Furthermore, any spectrometer developed to deliver the information of these properties should not significantly interfere or degrade the FEL beam. Therefore, the group at the Free Electron Laser in Hamburg (FLASH) has developed an online photoionization spectrometer that uses ion time of flight (I-TOF) measurement methods on noble gases to measure the photon energy of each pulse. This paper presents the first test results for the viability of this online photoionization spectrometer (OPS).