PNNL

Abstract

High brightness electron sources are at the heart of anew generation of x-ray sources based on the Free ElectronLaser (FEL) as well as in Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) and Inverse Compton Scattering (ICS) sources.The source of electrons consists of a photoinjector, comprised of a laser-driven photocathode in a high gradient electric field produced by an rf cavity. The function of the rf cavity is to provide a field sufficient for acceleration of electrons to relativistic velocity over a small distance, thus minimizing effects of the space-charge. Even so, the dense electron beam required for high brightness suffers from a space charge field that chirps and reshapes the electron pulse increasing beam emittance and thus reducing the overall brightness. This emittance growth can be avoided if the initial distribution of electrons is pancake shaped, with a semicircular transverse intensity profile. In this case, the electron distribution develops under its space charge field from a pancake into a uniformly filled ellipsoidal beam. This condition, referred to as the blowout regime, requires ultrashort pulses less than 100 fs long and has been successfully demonstrated recently in a high gradient photoinjector.