The VUV/IR/THz free electron laser program at Jefferson Lab

Jefferson Lab operates a pair of oscillator-based continuous-wave free electron lasers (FELs) as a linac-based next generation light source with pulse repetition rates up to 75 MHz. The facility uses an energy recovered linac design for efficiency of operation. Recent advances in superconducting technology have been implemented to produce higher acceleration gradients in the linac to produce higher electron beam energies that result in higher photon energies. Thus, while the system originally operated only in the IR, it now covers the photon energy range from the UV to THz, with harmonics upwards of 10 eV with an average spectral flux that is calculated to be 5×1017 photons/s/0.1% BW. Pulse lengths are in the sub-picosecond regime, and the fully coherent nature of the source, both transversely and longitudinally, results in peak and average brightness values that are several orders of magnitude higher than storage rings. The system provides an R&D test-bed for studies of electron beam dynamics in a regime appropriate for next generation light sources operating at MHz repetition rates.