We propose a novel method to generate femtosecond and sub-femtosecond photon pulses in a freeelectron laser by selectively spoiling the transverse emittance of the electron beam. Its merits are simplicity and ease of implementation. When the system is applied to the Linac Coherent Light Source, it can provide x-ray pulses the order of 1 femtosecond in duration containing about 10 10 transversely coherent photons. † Emma@SLAC.Stanford.edu ‡ On leave from Deutches Elektronen Synchrotron (DESY),

A scheme is proposed to exchange the transverse and longitudinal emittances of an electron bunch. A general analysis is presented and a specific beam line is used as an example where the emittance exchange is achieved by placing a transverse deflecting mode radio-frequency cavity in a magnetic chicane. In addition to reducing the transverse emittance, the bunch length is also simultaneously compressed. The scheme has the potential to introduce an added flexibility to the control of electron beams and to provide some contingency for the achievement of emittance and peak-current goals in free-electron lasers.