High-Gain Harmonic-Generation Free-Electron Laser
L.-H. Yu,1*
M. Babzien,1
I. Ben-Zvi,1
L. F. DiMauro,1
A. Doyuran,1
W. Graves,1
E. Johnson,1
S. Krinsky,1
R. Malone,1
I. Pogorelsky,1
J. Skaritka,1
G. Rakowsky,1
L. Solomon,1
X. J. Wang,1
M. Woodle,1
V. Yakimenko,1
S. G. Biedron,2
J. N. Galayda,2
E. Gluskin,2
J. Jagger,2
V. Sajaev,2
I. Vasserman2
A high-gain harmonic-generation free-electron laser is
demonstrated. Our approach uses a laser-seeded free-electron laser to
produce amplified, longitudinally coherent, Fourier transform-limited output at a harmonic of the seed laser. A seed carbon dioxide laser at
a wavelength of 10.6 micrometers produced saturated, amplified
free-electron laser output at the second-harmonic wavelength, 5.3 micrometers. The experiment verifies the theoretical foundation for the
technique and prepares the way for the application of this technique in
the vacuum ultraviolet region of the spectrum, with the ultimate goal
of extending the approach to provide an intense, highly coherent source
of hard x-rays.
1 Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY
11973, USA.
2 Advanced Photon Source, Argonne
National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA.
*
To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
lhyu{at}bnl.gov
