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We describe the use of the SLAC linac to drive a unique, powerful, short wavelength Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). Operating as an FEL, lasing would be achieved in a single pass of a high peak current electron beam through a long undulator by self-amplified spontaneous emission. The main components are a high-brightness rf photocathode electron gun; pulse compressors; about 1/5 of the SLAC linac; and a long undulator with a FODO quadrupole focusing system. Using electrons below 8 GeV, the system would operate at wavelengths down to about 3 nm, producing /spl ges/10 GW of peak power in sub-ps pulses. At a 120 Hz rate the average power is /spl ap/1 W. >

Recently the SSRL/SLAC and its collaborators elsewhere have considered the merits of a 2 to 4 nm high power FEL utilizing the SLAC linac electron beam. The FEL would be a single pass amplifier excited by spontaneous emission rather than an oscillator, in order to eliminate the need for a soft X-ray resonant cavity. We have used GINGER, a multifrequency 2D FEL simulation code, to study the expected linewidth and coherence properties of the FEL, in both the exponential and saturated gain regimes. We present results concerning the effective shot noise input power and mode shape, the expected sub-percent output linewidths, photon flux, and the field temporal and spatial correlation functions. We also discuss the effects of tapering the wiggler upon the output power and linewidth. >

We have used the improved ETA-II linear induction accelerator (ETA-III) and the IMP steady-state wiggler to generate high power (1-2 GW) microwaves at 140 GHz. The FEL was used in an amplifier configuration with a gyrotron driver. Improved control of energy sweep and computerized magnetic alignment in ETA-III resulted in small beam corkscrew motion ( >