Start-to-end simulations for a seeded harmonic generation free electron laser

This paper shows how the MAX linac injector and transport system can be efficiently retuned to suit free electron laser (FEL) performance. In a collaboration between MAX-lab and BESSY, a seeded harmonic generation free electron laser is being constructed at MAX-lab. The setup uses the existing MAX-lab facility upgraded with a new low emittance photocathode gun, a Ti∶Sa 266 nm laser system used for both the gun and seeding and an FEL undulator system. To produce the high quality electron beam needed, it is shown how the magnet optics in an achromatic dogleg can be tuned to create an optimum bunch compression and how a good quality beam can be maintained through the beam transport and delivered to the FEL undulators. In extensive start-to-end simulations from the cathode of the gun to the generation of photons in the undulators, FEL performance and stability has been calculated using simulation tools like ASTRA, ELEGANT, and GENESIS. This has been done for both the third and fifth harmonic of the seed laser. The results from the calculation are 30 fs light pulses with a power of 11 MW at 88 nm and 1.4 MW at 53 nm.