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Title: Evolution of transverse modes in FELIX macropulses

Conference ·
OSTI ID:238799
; ;  [1]
  1. FOM-Institute for Plasma Physics, Nieuwegin (Netherlands); and others

We present ringdown measurements of both the intracavity beam, using a low reflection beamsplitter, as well as the hole-outcoupled beam of FELIX, the intracavity measurements being taken at various sets of transverse coordinates. Recent measurements show a significant difference in the decay of the signals at different radial positions, suggesting the presence of higher order transverse modes. The formation of transverse modes depends on the properties of the cold cavity and its losses (i.e. resonator parameters, diffraction and outcoupling at the hole, absorption and edge losses on the mirrors, waveguide clipping), as well as on the gain mechanism. Both simulations with the axisymmetric ELIXER code and previous hole-outcoupled measurements indicated a substantial energy content of the 2nd or 4th Gauss-Laguerre (GL) mode for the 20-30 {mu}m regime of FELIX. Moreover, as FELIX has a phase degenerate cavity, the fundamental and higher order transverse modes can interplay to create a reduced outcoupling efficiency at the hole. For example, in contrast to the decay rate of 13% per roundtrip that we would expect for a pure gaussian beam when we include a loss of 6% for the reflection at the intracavity beamsplitter, recent simulations indicate a decay rate as high as 23% of the hole-outcoupled signal. In this case the 2nd order GL mode contains 30% of the total intracavity power. The effect of transverse modes on subpulses in the limit cycle regime is an interesting aspect. As soon as a subpulse is losing contact with the electrons, its transverse pattern will exhibit an on-axis hole after a few roundtrips, according to the simulations. This process could mean that the subpulses are less pronounced in the hole-outcoupled signal of FELIX 1.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
OSTI ID:
238799
Report Number(s):
BNL-61982-Absts.; CONF-9508156-Absts.; ON: DE96002729; TRN: 96:013288
Resource Relation:
Conference: 17. international free electron laser conference, New York, NY (United States), 21-25 Aug 1995; Other Information: PBD: [1995]; Related Information: Is Part Of 17th international free electron laser conference and 2nd international FEL users` workshop. Program and abstracts; PB: 300 p.
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English