2009/05/11 by Gianluca Geloni, P. Ilinski, Geloni, Gianluca +7
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Accelerator Physics (physics.acc-ph) #Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications #Advanced X-ray Imaging Techniques #FOS: Physical sciences #Laser-Matter Interactions and Applications #Optics (physics.optics)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0905.1619
openalex publication_date 2009/05/11 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We describe a novel technique to characterize ultrashort electron bunches in X-ray Free-Electron Lasers. Namely, we propose to use coherent Optical Transition Radiation to measure three-dimensional (3D) electron density distributions. Our method relies on the combination of two known diagnostics setups, an Optical Replica Synthesizer (ORS) and an Optical Transition Radiation (OTR) imager. Electron bunches are modulated at optical wavelengths in the ORS setup. When these electron bunches pass through a metal foil target, coherent radiation pulses of tens MW power are generated. It is thereafter possible to exploit advantages of coherent imaging techniques, such as direct imaging, diffractive imaging, Fourier holography and their combinations. The proposed method opens up the possibility of real-time, wavelength-limited, single-shot 3D imaging of an ultrashort electron bunch.