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J. Cook, D. Helms, W. Skinner

Division (M7), FEL Coordination Group

F. Dylla

IR Demo Project Weekly Report, June 15-19, 1998

June 19, 1998

Management:

Highlights for the week:
We lased!

After 10 weeks of commissioning time on the FEL driver accelerator, we began commissioning of the FEL on Monday. Lasing was obtained after 5 hours of effort using low duty cycle (2 Hz) beam. On Tuesday the average power was raised to 50+ watts when the accelerator was operated cw. On Wednesday we exceeded the first light goal (100 watts) by obtaining 155 watts. This average power level significantly exceeds the existing power record (11 watts) for FELs achieved by the Vanderbilt FEL Center. The lasing was observed at the targeted wavelength (4.9 microns). The stability of both the laser output and the driver accelerator are excellent. Over the next few weeks we will fully characterize the laser light and prepare for several user experiments.

On Thursday, we were fortunate to share our success with Bob Marianelli, Director of the Chemical Sciences Division, DOE-BES and Eric Rohlfing, during a site visit to discuss the status of the basic science user program.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Laser Safety System (LSS) was given an audit by the Anteon Corp., the contractor which operates the High Power Laser Laboratory at Wright Paterson Air Force Base. The LSS was certified as safe. Several minor recommendations were offered by the audit team which will be reviewed by our laser safety team.

Installation Activities

Installed the wiggler on Saturday, 13 Jun 98, and finished instrumenting the Laser Safety System (LSS) for the Optical Control Room in the FEL Facility. The LSS configuration for the user laboratories was certified this week, as reported in the Management section above. Work continues toward setting up the user laboratories. The roller for the DuPont rapid-materials- processing experiment arrived and is in place in the Polymer Lab.