X-band technology applications at FERMI@Elettra FEL project

The current activities and future perspectives involving the use of X-band technology at the Elettra Laboratory are presented. These are mainly related to the development of the FERMI@Elettra FEL project, a fourth generation light source facility, now under commissioning in Trieste. The facility, based on a seed scheme, requires sub-ps electron bunches (similar to 1 kA), with very high optical qualities, at the entrance of the undulator chain. This is achieved by compressing the beam with two magnetic chicanes. A large effort has been undertaken to develop an X-band accelerating structure, to be installed downstream the first bunch compressor, before the magnetic chicane. In addition, we are also evaluating the possibility of extending the FERMI FEL wavelength capabilities beyond the foreseen limit of 4 nm, by increasing the linac energy from 1.5 GeV to 2.4-2.5 GeV, using the X-band technology. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.