We report experimental measurements of narrow-band, single-mode excitation, and drive beam energy modulation, in a dielectric wakefield accelerating structure with planar geometry and Bragg-reflector boundaries. A short, relativistic electron beam ($\sim 1\mathrm{ps}$) with moderate charge ($\sim 100\mathrm{pC}$) is used to drive the wakefields in the structure. The fundamental mode of the structure is reinforced by constructive interference in the alternating dielectric layers at the boundary, and is characterized by the spectral analysis of the emitted coherent Cherenkov radiation signal. Data analysis shows a narrow-band peak at 210 GHz corresponding to the fundamental mode of the structure. Simulations in both 2D and 3D provide insight into the propagating fields and reproduction of the electron beams dynamics observables and emitted radiation characteristics.

The production of high spectral brilliance radiation from electron beam sources depends critically on the electron beam qualities. One must obtain very high electron beam brightness, implying simultaneous high peak current and low emittance. These attributes are enabled through the use of very high field acceleration in a radio-frequency (rf) photoinjector source. Despite the high fields currently utilized, there is a limit on the achievable peak current in high brightness operation, in the range of tens of Ampere. This limitation can be overcome by the use of a hybrid standing wave/traveling wave structure; the standing wave portion provides acceleration at a high field from the photocathode, while the traveling wave part yields strong velocity bunching. This approach is explored here in a C-band scenario, at field strengths ($>100\mathrm{MV}/\mathrm{m}$) at the current state-of-the-art. It is found that one may arrive at an electron beam with many hundreds of Amperes with well-sub-micron normalized emittance. This extremely compact injector system also possesses attractive simplification of the rf distribution system by eliminating the need for an rf circulator. We explore the use of this device in a compact 400 MeV-class source, driving both inverse Compton scattering and free-electron laser radiation sources with unique, attractive properties.

Since the introduction of the radio-frequency (rf) photoinjector electron source over thirty years ago, peak performance demands have dictated the use of high accelerating electric fields. With recent strong advances in obtainable field values, attendant increases in beam brightness are expected to be dramatic. In this article, we examine the implementation of very high gradient acceleration in a high frequency, cryogenic rf photoinjector. We discuss in detail the effects of introducing, through an optimized rf cavity shape, rich spatial harmonic content in the accelerating modes in this device. Higher spatial harmonics give useful, enhanced linear focusing effects, as well as potentially deleterious nonlinear transverse forces. They also serve to strongly increase the ratio of average accelerating field to peak surface field, thus aiding in managing power and dark current-related challenges. We investigate two scenarios which are aimed at unique exploitation of the capabilities of this source. First, we investigate the obtaining of extremely high six-dimensional brightness for advanced free-electron laser applications. We also examine the use of a magnetized photocathode in the device for producing unprecedented low asymmetric emittance, high-current electron beams that reach linear collider-compatible performance. As both of the scenarios demand an advanced, compact solenoid design, we describe a novel cryogenic solenoid system. With the high field rf and magnetostatic structures introduced, we analyze the collective beam dynamics in these systems through theory and multiparticle simulations, including a particular emphasis on granularity effects associated with microscopic Coulomb interactions.

Recently, considerable work has been directed at the development of an ultracompact X-ray free-electron laser (UCXFEL) based on emerging techniques in high-field cryogenic acceleration, with attendant dramatic improvements in electron beam brightness and state-of-the-art concepts in beam dynamics, magnetic undulators, and X-ray optics. A full conceptual design of a 1 nm (1.24 keV) UCXFEL with a length and cost over an order of magnitude below current X-ray free-electron lasers (XFELs) has resulted from this effort. This instrument has been developed with an emphasis on permitting exploratory scientific research in a wide variety of fields in a university setting. Concurrently, compact FELs are being vigorously developed for use as instruments to enable next-generation chip manufacturing through use as a high-flux, few nm lithography source. This new role suggests consideration of XFELs to urgently address emerging demands in the semiconductor device sector, as identified by recent national need studies, for new radiation sources aimed at chip manufacturing. Indeed, it has been shown that one may use coherent X-rays to perform 10–20 nm class resolution surveys of macroscopic, cm scale structures such as chips, using ptychographic laminography techniques. As the XFEL is a very promising candidate for realizing such methods, we present here an analysis of the issues and likely solutions associated with extending the UCXFEL to harder X-rays (above 7 keV), much higher fluxes, and increased levels of coherence, as well as methods of applying such a source for ptychographic laminography to microelectronic device measurements. We discuss the development path to move the concept to rapid realization of a transformative XFEL-based application, outlining both FEL and metrology system challenges.