Status of SPring-8 compact SASE source FEL project

To develop the fourth generation light source, RIKEN has started research program on an X-ray FEL source based on SASE in 2002. For the first stage of the program, in order to develop key technology specially required for the X-ray FEL, and to study technique for handling of high-peak-power radiation, RIKEN is developing the SCSS-machine: SPring-8 Compact SASE Source, which aims to generate FEL radiation at VUV region using low-emittance electron beam at 0.5–1 GeV energy. SCSS uses three key technologies (1) low-emittance electron injector with 500 kV thermionic pulsed gun, (2) high-gradient C-band (5712 MHz) RF system and (3) in-vacuum type short period undulator. This paper reports the current R&D status of the SCSS project. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]