High brightness, X-band photoinjector for the production of coherent synchrotron radiation

Linear colliders, future electron acceleration concepts, and short pulse, ultrawideband millimeter-wave sources all require bright electron beams. Photoinjectors have demonstrated the ability to produce relativistic electron beams with low emittance and energy spread. The system described herein combines state-of-the-art capabilities in the laser and rf systems, advanced photocathode materials? and new concepts for synchronization. Phase jitter has been measured in detail, and schemes for alleviating this problem have undergone initial proof-of-principle testing. Direct mode locking of a multiple quantum well Al:GaAs solid-state laser oscillator by an rf signal sampled from within a high-power rf accelerator cavity was demonstrated for the first time. Characterization of the electron beam produced by the system is presented. The linear electron accelerator system is comprised of a 1.5 cell side-wall coupled standing wave accelerator structure, driven by a 20 MW Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) Klystron operating at 8.548 GHz, a Ti:sapphire laser oscillator, and a chirped pulse Ti:sapphire laser amplifier. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.