Over the last decade free electron lasers (FELs) have been shown to be useful sources of coherent radiation for scientific investigations from the far infrared to the ultraviolet. Unique aspects of FEL radiation which are often exploited include: broad turnability, high peak power, and typically, a short pulse (ps) time structure. The comparatively high expense of building and operation an FEL, relative to conventional table-top lasers, usually relegates FEL installations to user facilities where the costs can be amortized by efficient use by multiple users. The recent commissioning of a kilowatt-class FEL at the Dept. of Energy's Jefferson Laboratory opens up a new class of applications, particularly in laser-materials processing and the related materials science. Planning for the Jefferson Lab FEL was coordinated by an industry-university consortium with primary interests in demonstrating large area materials processing techniques with a cost-effective, high-average-power laser source. Working groups within the consortium have built and installed end-station equipment for initial experiments in polymer surface processing, metal surface processing, large-area microfabrication and electronic materials processing.

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