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The tremendous developments on Laser Plasma Accelerators (LPAs) have significantly improved the electron beam properties and stability making it possible to drive a Free Electron Laser (FEL). We report on the electron beam transport and manipulation using the COXINEL beamline implemented at HZDR that has recently led to the first measurements of an LPA-based seeded FEL in the UV region. Our experiment, cross-checked with ELEGANT simulations, shows that the beamline enables the handling of the large divergence via high gradient quadrupoles, reducing the slice energy spread with the help of a chicane, controlling the position and dispersion in both transverse planes using beam pointing alignment compensation and implementing the super matching optics. We also show that the beamline properly allows for the spectral tuning and spatial overlapping between the electron beam and the seed, using electron and photon beam diagnostics, and thus making LPA based FEL amplification within reach.

SOLEIL is both a 2.75 GeV third generation synchrotron light source and a research laboratory at the forefront of experimental techniques dedicated to matter analysis down to the atomic scale, as well as a service platform open to all scientific and industrial communities. We present the performance of the accelerators delivering extremely stable photon beams to 29 beamlines. We report on the commissioning of a superbend magnet replacing a standard 1.71T dipole with a 2.84 T narrow peak permanent magnet-based dipole. It required local modification of the lattice to compensate linear and nonlinear optics distortions introduced by the new magnet field. The latest measurements made with a Multipole Injection Kicker are also reported. Work on the NEG test bench and its dedicated front-end for a 10 mm inner diameter vacuum pipe and other major R areas are also addressed in the frame of the SOLEIL upgrade., Proceedings of the 13th International Particle Accelerator Conference, IPAC2022, Bangkok, Thailand

We report on the operation of the DRACO Laser Driven electron source for stable multi-day operation for Free Electron Laser (FEL) applications. The nC-class accelerator can deliver charge densities around 10 pC/MeV

SOLEIL is both a synchrotron light source and a research laboratory at the cutting edge of experimental techniques dedicated to matter analysis down to the atomic scale, as well as a service platform open to all scientific and industrial communities. This French 2.75 GeV third generation synchrotron light source provides today extremely stable photon beams to 29 beamlines (BLs) complementary to ESRF. We report facility performance, ongoing projects and recent major achievements. Major R areas will also be discussed, and progress towards a lattice baseline for making SOLEIL a diffraction limited storage ring., Proceedings of the 12th International Particle Accelerator Conference, IPAC2021, Campinas, SP, Brazil

The fourth generation of synchrotron radiation sources, commonly referred to as the Free Electron Laser (FEL), provides an intense source of brilliant X-ray beams enabling the investigation of matter at the atomic scale with unprecedented time resolution. These sources require the use of conventional linear accelerators providing high electron beam performance. The achievement of chirped pulse amplification allowing lasers to be operated at the Terawatt range, opened the way for the Laser Plasma Acceleration (LPA) technique where high energy electron bunches with high current can be produced within a very short centimeter-scale distance. Such an advanced acceleration concept is of great interest to be qualified by an FEL application for compact X-ray light sources. We explore in this paper what the LPA specificities imply on the design of the undulator, part of the gain medium. First, the LPA concept and state-of-art are presented showing the different operation regimes and what electron beam parameters are likely to be achieved. The LPA scaling laws are discussed afterwards to better understand what laser or plasma parameters have to be adjusted in order to improve electron beam quality. The FEL is secondly discussed starting with the spontaneous emission, followed by the different FEL configurations, the electron beam transport to the undulator and finally the scaling laws and correction terms in the high gain case. Then, the different types of compact undulators that can be implemented for an LPA based FEL application are analyzed. Finally, examples of relevant experiments are reported by describing the transport beamline, presenting the spontaneous emission characteristics achieved so far and the future prospects.

International audience; The landscape of present accelerator based light sources is drawn. The photon beam brightness increases opens new areas of user applications, both with the arrival of low emittance rings getting closer to diffraction limit and the advent of X-ray Free Electron Lasers, providing agility in terms of performance (two colors, attosecond pulse…). Finally, the path towards light sources using alternate accelerator schemes, such as plasma acceleration is discussed.

We report on the successful operation of a Free Electron Laser (FEL) in the Echo Enabled Harmonic Generation (EEHG) scheme at the FERMI facility at Sincrotrone Trieste. The experiment required a modification of the FEL-2 undulator line which, in normal operation, uses two stages of high-gain harmonic generation separated by a delay line. In addition to a new seed laser, the dispersion in the delay-line was increased, the second stage modulator changed and a new manipulator installed in the delay-line chicane hosting additional diagnostic components. With this modified setup we have demonstrated the first evidence of strong exponential gain in a free electron laser operated in EEHG mode at wavelengths as short as 5 nm., Proceedings of the 39th Free Electron Laser Conference, FEL2019, Hamburg, Germany

Laser plasma acceleration (LPA) with up to several GeV beam in very short distance appears very promising. The Free Electron Laser (FEL), though very challenging, can be viewed as a qualifying application of these new emerging LPAs. The energy spread and divergence, larger than from conventional accelerators used for FEL, have to be manipulated to fulfil the FEL requirements. On the test experiment COXINEL (ERC340015), the beam is controlled in a manipulation [1,2] line, using permanent magnet quadrupoles of variable strength [3] for emittance handing and a decompression chicane equipped with a slit for the energy selection, enabling FEL amplification for baseline reference parameters [2]. The electron position and dispersion are independently adjusted [4]. The measured spontaneous emission radiated by a 2 m long 18 mm period cryo-ready undulator exhibits the typical undulator spatio-spectral pattern, in agreement with the modelling of the electron beam travelling along the line and of the afferent photon generation. The wavelength is easily tuned with undulator gap variation. A wavelength stability of 2.6% is achieved. The undulator linewidth can be controlled., Proceedings of the 39th Free Electron Laser Conference, FEL2019, Hamburg, Germany

The recent spectacular development of laser plasma ac- celerators that now can deliver GeV electron beams in an extremelyshortdistancemakesthemverypromising. Ap- plications for light sources based on undulator radiation and free electron laser appear as an intermediate step to move from an acceleration concept to an accelerator qual- ification. However, the presently achieved divergence and energy spread require some electron beam manipulations. The COXINEL test line was designed for enabling Free Elec- tron Laser operation with baseline reference parameters. It comprises variable permanent magnet quadrupoles for di- vergence handling, a magnetic chicane for electron energy sorting, a second set of quadrupole for chromatic focusing and an undulator for synchrotron radiation emission and/or free electron laser gain medium. The transport along the line is controlled [1]. The synchrotron radiation emitted by the undulator radiation is studied under different conditions of detection (CCD camera, spectrometer), electron beam manipulation and undulator parameters. These observations pave the way towards Laser Plasma Acceleration based Free Electron Laser., Proceedings of the 10th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2019, Melbourne, Australia

The Free Electron Laser (FEL) operation, like that of any Free Electron source of coherent radiation, is associated with the onset of an instability. The interplay between the FEL and other instabilities, affecting the beam, is one of the interesting aspects of the associated dynamics. It involves issues of practical interest (Renieri Limit in Storage Ring FELs, suppression of instabilities like saw-tooth and synchrotron…). The paper reviews these problems and offers an overview of the scientific contribution of Alberto Renieri to the FEL from this perspective., Proceedings of the 39th Free Electron Laser Conference, FEL2019, Hamburg, Germany

A 15 mm period PrFeB Cryogenic Permanent Magnet Undulator (CPMU) is under construction at SOLEIL in the frame of a collaboration with MAXIV, relying on the experience gained from the two PrFeB CPMU already installed at SOLEIL. The improved design includes a magnetic length of 3 m and a minimum gap of 3 mm, leading to a polyvalent device of interest for both synchrotron radiation sources and free electron lasers. A dedicated magnetic measurement bench is also under development to perform measurements at cryogenic temperature, based on the SAFALI system. The designs of both undulator and measurement bench will be explained, the construction progress will be detailed and first results will be given., Proceedings of the Mechanical Eng.~Design of Synchrotron Radiation Equipment and Instrumentation, MEDSI2018, Paris, France

SOLEIL is both a synchrotron light source and a research laboratory at the cutting edge of experimental techniques dedicated to matter analysis down to the atomic scale, as well as a service platform open to all scientific and industrial communities. This French 2.75 GeV third generation synchrotron light source provides today extremely stable photon beams to 29 beamlines (BLs) complementary to ESRF. We report facility performance, ongoing projects and recent major achievements. A significant work was performed in order to secure the operation of the two canted 5.5 mm in-vacuum cryogenic permanent magnet undulators (CPMUs). Major R&D areas will also be discussed, and progress towards a lattice baseline for making SOLEIL a diffraction limited storage ring., Proceedings of the 9th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Quadrupoles for Thomx Facility have been carefully designed and measured due to high constraints of the storage ring. The need of a compact accelerator, 70 m2 on floor, as well as a beam life time of 20 ms, led to the following requirements for the quadrupole : a gradient of 5 T/m with 20.5 mm radius bore, harmonic content better than few 1.10⁻³ at the reference radius of 18 mm, no cross-talk with sextupole placed within 5 cm and a precision of the magnetic axis of 100 μm and the roll angle of 300 μrad for measurements and alignment. Total of 41 quadrupoles have been built and all measured by a rotating coil at ALBA and SOLEIL, providing multipole components, transfer function and magnetic center. Cross-check measurements have also been carried out with a versatile stretched wire from ESRF at LAL. This paper mainly describes results of simulations with OPERA and RADIA and provides the results of measurements with these three benches. These results will be compared and highlighted important points for the alignment and installation of quadrupoles in an accelerator., Proceedings of the 9th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada

The ERC Advanced Grant COXINEL aims at demonstrating free electron laser amplification, at a resonant wavelength of 200 nm, based on a laser plasma acceleration source. To achieve the amplification, a 10 m long dedicated transport line was designed to manipulate the beam qualities. It starts with a triplet of permanent magnet with tunable gradient quadrupoles (QUAPEVA) that handles the highly divergent electron beam, a demixing chicane with a slit to reduce the energy spread per slice, and a set of electromagnetic quadrupoles to provide a chromatic focusing in a 2 m long cryogenic undulator. Electrons of energy 176 MeV were successfully transported throughout the line, where the beam positioning and dispersion were controlled efficiently thanks to a specific beam based alignment method, as well as the energy range by varying the slit width. Observations of undulator radiation for different undulator gaps are reported., Proceedings of the 60th ICFA Advanced Beam Dynamics Workshop on Future Light Sources, FLS2018, Shanghai, China

We present the magnetic and the mechanical design of tunable high gradient permanent magnet (PM) quadrupoles. The tunable gradient of the so-called QUAPEVAS extends from 100T/m up to 200T/m. Seven of them with various lengths, ranging from 26mm up to 100mm, for different integrated quadrupole strengths were manufactured. The measured magnetic performance of these devices is also reported. These devices were successfully developed to transport laser plasma accelerated electron beam. Such applications have however less stringent multipole harmonic content constraints than diffraction limited Light sources. Trails for lowering the multipole harmonics will be discussed., Proceedings of the 60th ICFA Advanced Beam Dynamics Workshop on Future Light Sources, FLS2018, Shanghai, China

Since the laser invention, the advent of X-ray Free Electron Lasers (FEL) half a century later, opens new areas for matter investigation. In parallel, the spectacular development of laser plasma acceleration (LPA) with several GeV beam acceleration in an extremely short distance appears very promising. As a first step, the qualification of the LPA with a FEL application sets a first challenge. Still, energy spread and beam divergence do not meet the state-of-the-art performance of the conventional accelerators and have to be manipulated to fulfill the FEL requirement. We report here on the undulator spontaneous emission measured after a transport manipulation electron beam line, using variable permanent magnet quadrupoles of variable strength for emittance handing and a demixing chicane equipped with a slit for the energy spread. Strategies of control electron beam position and dispersion have been elaborated. The measured undulator radiation provides an insight on the electron beam properties., Proceedings of the 9th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2018, Vancouver, BC, Canada

With permanent magnets undulator operation at cryogenic temperature, the magnetic field and the coercivity can be enhanced, enabling shorter periods with high magnetic fields. The first full scale (2 m long, 18 mm period) hybrid cryogenic undulator [1] using PrFeB [2] magnets operating at 77 K was installed at SOLEIL in 2011. Photon spectra measurements, in good agreement with the ex-pectations from magnetic measurements, were used for precise alignment and taper optimization. The second and third 18 mm PrFeB cryogenic undulators, modified to a half-pole/magnet/half-pole structure, were optimized without any magnet or pole shimming after assembly but mechanical sortings and some geometrical corrections had been done before assembly. A systematic error on individual magnets on the third U18 was also compensated. In-situ measurement benches, including a Hall probe and a stretched wire to optimize the undulator field at room and cryogenic temperature are presented. An upgrade of these in-situ benches will be detailed with the fabrication of a 15 mm 3 m long PrFeB cryogenic undulator at SOLEIL., Proceedings of the 60th ICFA Advanced Beam Dynamics Workshop on Future Light Sources, FLS2018, Shanghai, China

In the French LUNEX5 project (Laser à électrons libres Utilisant un Nouvel accélérateur pour l'exploitation du rayonnement X de 5ème génération), a compact advanced free-electron laser (FEL) is driven by either a superconducting linac or a laser-plasma accelerator that can deliver a 400-MeV electron beam. LUNEX5 aims to produce FEL radiation in the ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) range. To improve the longitudinal coherence of the FEL pulses and reduce the gain length, it will operate in Echo-Enabled Harmonic Generation (EEHG) seeding configuration. EEHG is a strongly nonlinear harmonic up-conversion process based on a two-seed laser interaction that enables to reach very high harmonics of the seed laser. Recent experimental demonstration of ECHO-75, starting from an infrared seed laser, was recently achieved at SLAC and is opened the way for EEHG scheme in the EUV and soft x-ray range. Furthermore, FELs are promising candidates for the next generation of lithography technology using EUV light. In this work, we report a preliminary study of EEHG scheme for LUNEX5 in order to reach the target wavelength of 13.5 nm, currently expected for application to lithography., Proceedings of the 38th Int. Free Electron Laser Conf., FEL2017, Santa Fe, NM, USA

The ERC Advanced Grant COXINEL aims at demonstrating free electron laser (FEL) at 200 nm, based on a laser-plasma accelerator (LPA). To achieve the FEL amplification a transport line was designed to manipulate the beam properties. The 10 m long COXINEL line comprises a first triplet of permanent-magnet variable-strength quadrupoles (QUAPEVA), which handles the large divergence of LPA electrons, a magnetic chicane, which reduces the slice energy spread, and finally a set of electromagnetic quadrupoles, which provides a chromatic focusing in a 2-m undulator. Electrons were successfully transported through the line from LPA with ionization-assisted self-injection (broad energy spectra up to~250 MeV, few-milliradian divergence)., Proceedings of the 38th Int. Free Electron Laser Conf., FEL2017, Santa Fe, NM, USA

The magnetic design and characterization of tunable high gradient permanent magnet based quadrupole, are presented. To achieve a high gradient field with a compact structure, permanent magnets are chosen rather than usual electro-magnets due to their small aperture. The quadrupole structure consists of two quadrupoles superimposed capable of generating a gradient of 210 T/m. The first quadrupole is composed of permanent magnets following a Halbach configuration shaped as a ring attaining a constant gradient of 160T/m, and the second of four permanent magnet cylinders surrounding the ring and capable of rotating around their axis to achieve a gradient tunability of ±50 T/m. Each tuning magnet is connected to a motor and is controlled independently, enabling the gradient to be tuned with a rather good magnetic center stability (±20 μm) and without any field asymmetry. Seven quadrupoles have been built with different magnetic lengths in order to fulfil the integrated gradient required. A set of QUAPEVA triplet are now in use, to focus a high divergent electron beam with large energy spread generated by a laser plasma acceleration source for a free electron laser application., Proceedings of the 38th Int. Free Electron Laser Conf., FEL2017, Santa Fe, NM, USA

International audience; A Cryogenic Permanent Magnet Undulator (CMPU) is capable of achieving high brightness radiation at short wavelengths, by taking advantage of the permanent magnets' enhanced performance at low temperature. A CPMU of period 18 mm (U18) that has been built at Synchrotron SOLEIL is used for the COXINEL project to demonstrate Free Electron Laser (FEL) at 200 nm using a laser plasma acceleration source. Another undulator of period 15 mm (U15) is currently being built to replace U18 undulator for FEL demonstration at 40 nm. A new method is also introduced, using SRWE code, to compute the spectra of the large energy spread beam (few percent) taking into account the variation of the Twiss parameters for each energy slice. The construction of U18 undulator and the magnetic measurements needed for optimization, as well as the mechanical design of U15, are presented.

Each long SOLEIL beamline, ANATOMIX and Nanoscopium, takes a photon beam from an in-vacuum undulator with a minimum gap of 5.5 mm. The canted radiation sources are installed in a long straight section of the storage ring. The first closure of both undulators led to the severe damage of the downstream undulator in 2011. The reason for this incident has been investigated and clearly identified. A long-term project has enabled us to find a technical solution for a simultaneous operation of both undulators. A special angle fast interlock was designed and a dedicated photon absorber has been introduced at the entrance of the second undulator while keeping the impact on the beam performance as low as possible. The main technical steps will be reported with an interim solution put in place in spring 2015 and a final solution deployed and validated in May 2016., Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2017, Copenhagen, Denmark

Cryogenic Permanent Magnet Undulators (CPMUs) take advantage of the enhanced field performance of permanent magnets when cooled down to low temperature, enabling shorter period with sufficient magnetic field to achieve high brightness radiation in the X-ray domain. Several CPMUs have been manufactured at SOLEIL. The first CPMU of period 18 mm (U18), optimized with a phase error of 3.2° at temperature of 77 K, has been installed and operated for the past 5 years at SOLEIL for the NANOSCOPIUM beamline. We report on photon beam based alignment enabling for a better adjustment of the vertical position offset of the undulator with a precision of 50 μm, and on the correction of the taper with a precision of 5 μrad to enhance the radiation flux. A second U18 cryo-ready undulator, with a new mechanical and magnetic sorting of module shimming, has attained a phase error of 2.3° at CT without any further adjustments after the assembly. Currently, two more CPMUs are being built; a 2 m long U18 for the SOLEIL ANATOMIX beamline, and a 3 m long U15 undulator reaching a magnetic gap of 3 mm. The new challenges encountered with magnetic measurements and mechanical designs for U15 are presented., Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2017, Copenhagen, Denmark

Synchrotron SOLEIL has just turned 10 years since its commissioning. The 2.75 GeV facility is now delivering very stable photon beams to 29 beam lines. A total of 5 operation modes are available in top-up. Maintaining and updating the key performance metric remains a daily work facing both aging of components and tighter operation requirements. Low-alpha operation is attracting more beam lines leading us to an upgrade of the Booster (BOO) radiofrequency (RF) system in order to increase the injection efficiency into the storage ring (SR). The femtoslicing experiment is now in production for a hard X-ray beam line; a dedicated chicane has been installed for a second beam line in the soft X-ray regime. The two long canted beam lines can operate simultaneously at minimum gaps since May 2016 thanks to the introduction of a dedicated photon absorber and a fast angle interlock. R&D work in several areas will be reported. In parallel lattice design are in progress both for short term and long term evolution of the ring performance., Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2017, Copenhagen, Denmark

COXINEL experiment aims at demonstrating free electron laser (FEL) amplification with a laser plasma accelerator (LPA). For COXINEL, a dedicated 8 m transport line has been designed and prepared at SOLEIL. We present here LPA beam transport results around 180 MeV through this line. Different electron beam optics were applied., Proceedings of the 8th Int. Particle Accelerator Conf., IPAC2017, Copenhagen, Denmark