This is the final report of a three-year, Laboratory-Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The purpose of this LDRD project was to develop new, inexpensive, simple electron beam bunch-length diagnostics with resolutions below ¼ picosecond (ps). Our approach to this problem was three pronged. First, it was our intent to build a streak camera with ½ ps resolution. This conventional diagnostic was to be used to verify the results of two novel measurement techniques. Second, we wished to investigate the utility of off-axis coherent Smith-Purcell radiation as a bunch-length diagnostic. Finally, we planned to demonstrate a measurement of the electron bunch-length using a transversely deflecting RF field and a beam position monitor (BPM).
Background and Research ObjectivesThe generation of very short bunch lengths (temporal duration of 1 ps or less) is a