The construction of a transmission line (TL) for a wide tunable broad-spectrum THz radiation source is not a simple task. We present here a platform for the future use of designs of the TL through our homemade simulations. The TL is designed to be a component of the construction of an innovative accelerator at the Schlesinger Family Center for Compact Accelerators, Radiation Sources and Applications (FEL). We developed a three-dimensional space-frequency tool for the analysis of a radiation pulse. The total electromagnetic (EM) field on the edge of the source is represented in the frequency domain in terms of cavity eigenmodes. However, any pulse can be used regardless of its mathematical function, which is the key point of this work. The only requirement is the existence of the original pulse. This EM field is converted to geometric-optical ray representation through the Wigner transform at any desired resolution. Wigner’s representation allows us to describe the dynamics of field evolution in future propagation, which allows us to determine an initial design of the TL. Representation of the EM field by rays gives access to the ray tracing method and future processing, operating in the linear and non-linear regimes. This allows for fast work with graphics cards and parallel processing, providing great flexibility and serving as future preparation that enables us to apply advanced libraries such as machine learning. The platform is used to study the phase-amplitude and spectral characteristics of multimode radiation generation in a free-electron laser (FEL) operating in various operational parameters.

This paper presents a diagnostic method for THz pulses produced by EA-FEL. Experimental results present a comparison between ZnTe and GaAs crystals for the detection of a single terahertz pulse using electro-optic sampling. In order to match an electro-optic detector for the EA-FEL radiation, the THz pulse from a source was simultaneously detected by ZnTe and GaAs electro-optic detectors. The GaAs detection system was found to have a shorter response time but low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared to the ZnTe system. The GaAs crystal is suitable for the detection of short THz pulses due to fiber coupling, and the SNR of the GaAs system can be improved using a faster and more sensitive photodetector.