Letter abstract
Nature Photonics 2, 555 - 559 (2008)
Published online: 27 July 2008 | doi:10.1038/nphoton.2008.134
Subject Category: Lasers, LEDs and light sources
A compact free-electron laser for generating coherent radiation in the extreme ultraviolet region
Tsumoru Shintake1, Hitoshi Tanaka1, Toru Hara1,2, Takashi Tanaka1,2, Kazuaki Togawa1, Makina Yabashi1, Yuji Otake1, Yoshihiro Asano1,2, Teruhiko Bizen2, Toru Fukui1, Shunji Goto2, Atsushi Higashiya1, Toko Hirono2, Naoyasu Hosoda1, Takahiro Inagaki1, Shinobu Inoue1, Miho Ishii2, Yujong Kim1, Hiroaki Kimura2, Masanobu Kitamura1, Toshiaki Kobayashi2, Hirokazu Maesaka1, Takemasa Masuda2, Sakuo Matsui1, Tomohiro Matsushita2, Xavier Maréchal2, Mitsuru Nagasono1, Haruhiko Ohashi2, Toru Ohata2, Takashi Ohshima1, Kazuyuki Onoe1, Katsutoshi Shirasawa1, Tetsuya Takagi2, Sunao Takahashi2, Masao Takeuchi2, Kenji Tamasaku1, Ryotaro Tanaka1,2, Yoshihito Tanaka1, Takanori Tanikawa1, Tadashi Togashi1, Shukui Wu1, Akihiro Yamashita2, Kenichi Yanagida2, Chao Zhang2, Hideo Kitamura1,2 & Tetsuya Ishikawa1
Abstract
Single-pass free-electron lasers based on self-amplified spontaneous emission1, 2, 3, 4 are enabling the generation of laser light at ever shorter wavelengths, including extreme ultraviolet5, soft X-rays and even hard X-rays6, 7, 8. A typical X-ray free-electron laser is a few kilometres in length and requires an electron-beam energy higher than 10 GeV (refs 6, 8). If such light sources are to become accessible to more researchers, a significant reduction in scale is desirable Here, we report observations of brilliant extreme-ultraviolet radiation from a 55-m-long compact self-amplified spontaneous-emission source, which combines short-period undulators with a high-quality electron source operating at a low acceleration energy of 250 MeV. The radiation power reaches saturation at wavelengths ranging from 51 to 61 nm with a maximum pulse energy of 30 
J. The ultralow emittance (0.6
mm mrad) of the electron beam from a CeB6 thermionic cathode9 is barely degraded by a multiple-stage bunch compression system that dramatically enhances the beam current from 1 to 300 A. This achievement expands the potential for generating X-ray free-electron laser radiation with a compact 2-GeV machine.
- RIKEN, XFEL Project Head Office, Kouto 1-1-1, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
- Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Kouto 1-1-1, Sayo, Hyogo 679-5198, Japan
Correspondence to: Makina Yabashi1 e-mail: yabashi@spring8.or.jp
Correspondence to: Present address: Yujong Kim: Free Electron Laser Laboratory, LaSalle Street Extension, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0319, USA;
Masanobu Kitamura: Nichizou Electronics and Control Corporation, Electronics Systems Division, Nishikujyo 5-3-28, Konohana-ku, Osaka 554-0012, Japan;
Kazuyuki Onoe: ULVAC, Head Office, Hagisono 2500, Chigasaki, Kanagawa 253-8543, Japan;
Tetsuya Takagi: Takagi Accounting Firm, Minami-Karasuyama 4-28-7, Setagaya, Tokyo 157-0062, Japan
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