The BNL accelerator test facility and experimental program

The Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) at BNL (Brookhaven National Laboratory) is a facility for experiments in accelerator and beam physics. The ATF provides high-brightness electron beams and high-power laser pulses synchronized to the electron beam, suitable for studies of new methods of high-gradient acceleration and state-of-the-art free-electron-lasers. The electrons are produced by a laser photocathode RF gun and accelerated to 50 to 100 MeV by two traveling wave accelerator sections. The lasers include a 10-mJ, 10-ps Nd:YAG laser and a 100-mJ, 10-ps CO/sub 2/ laser. The ATF´s experimental program commenced in early 1991 at an energy of about 4 MeV. The full program, with 50 MeV and the high-power laser will begin operation this year.<>