Investigation of bunch repetition rate deviations in FIR FEL driven by a magnetron-based microtron

The stability of the bunch repetition rate in a FIR FEL driven by a 2.8 GHz magnetron-based microtron was investigated using a heterodyne method with a low Q-factor straight-flight measuring cavity. The measuring cavity is located in the straight section of the FIR FEL injection beam line and is excited by the passage of electron bunches. The RF signal from the measuring cavity coupling loop was mixed with a precise heterodyne signal with a frequency difference of several MHz. The beat frequency was analyzed to obtain the temporal distribution of the bunch repetition rate deviation during the macro pulse of the electron beam. The time resolution and the accuracy of measurements are approximately 100 ns and a few kHz, respectively. Based on this data, we could determine the level and shape of the magnetron current and the initial frequency shift between magnetron and accelerating cavity for the FEL operation in the wavelength range 100–300 μm.