The development of X-ray free-electron lasers

We review and discuss the theoretical and experimental work that has led to the development of short wavelength free-electron lasers operating as single pass amplifiers, starting from the spontaneous undulator radiation, in the self amplified spontaneous emission mode. This work has led to several projects to build this type of free-electron lasers operating at a wavelength of about 0.1 nm, producing coherent X-ray pulses with an unprecedented brilliance and peak power, and pulse length in the femtosecond range. One such project, the LCLS, is presently under construction and is expected to be operational in 2008.