The History of X-ray Free-Electron Lasers
Journal Article
·
· The European Physical Journal H
The successful lasing at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory of the Linear Coherent Light Source (LCLS), the first X-ray free-electron laser (X-ray FEL), in the wavelength range 1.5 to 15 {angstrom}, pulse duration of 60 to few femtoseconds, number of coherent photons per pulse from 10{sup 13} to 10{sup 11}, is a landmark event in the development of coherent electromagnetic radiation sources. Until now electrons traversing an undulator magnet in a synchrotron radiation storage ring provided the best X-ray sources. The LCLS has set a new standard, with a peak X-ray brightness higher by ten orders of magnitudes and pulse duration shorter by three orders of magnitudes. LCLS opens a new window in the exploration of matter at the atomic and molecular scales of length and time. Taking a motion picture of chemical processes in a few femtoseconds or less, unraveling the structure and dynamics of complex molecular systems, like proteins, are some of the exciting experiments made possible by LCLS and the other X-ray FELs now being built in Europe and Asia. In this paper, we describe the history of the many theoretical, experimental and technological discoveries and innovations, starting from the 1960s and 1970s, leading to the development of LCLS.
- Research Organization:
- SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US DOE Office of Science (DOE SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76SF00515;
- OSTI ID:
- 1044621
- Report Number(s):
- SLAC-PUB-15120
- Journal Information:
- The European Physical Journal H, Journal Name: The European Physical Journal H; ISSN 2102-6459
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Start-to-End Simulations of the LCLS Accelerator and FEL Performance at Very Low Charge
Ultra-Short Electron Bunch and X-Ray Temporal Diagnostics with an X-Band Transverse Deflector
Design of an x-ray free electron laser undulator
Conference
·
Mon May 25 20:00:00 EDT 2009
·
OSTI ID:953500
Ultra-Short Electron Bunch and X-Ray Temporal Diagnostics with an X-Band Transverse Deflector
Conference
·
Mon Dec 12 19:00:00 EST 2011
·
OSTI ID:1032759
Design of an x-ray free electron laser undulator
Journal Article
·
Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1997
· AIP Conference Proceedings
·
OSTI ID:659277