Speaker: Alan Fry, LCLS
Alan Fry joined SLAC in 2010 as the Deputy Director of the Laser Science and Technology Division of the LCLS. Most of his earlier professional career was spent in the commercial laser industry, developing ultrafast laser systems for scientific research and industrial applications. He received his PhD in physics from the University of Rochester.
Program Description
Ultrafast optical lasers are essential for the operation of X-ray FELs and for enabling FEL-based science. From the precisely shaped UV pulses that produce the electron bunches that drive the FEL to the highly synchronized laser pulses used in pump-probe experiments with the FEL output, the LCLS depends 24/7 on the advanced performance and exceptional reliability of ultrafast laser systems. To an even greater extent the success of future FEL light sources will depend on optical lasers to fulfill their operational and scientific objectives. Most projected laser requirements will demand significant advancements in laser technology, including novel applications of lasers to FEL operation, e.g. laser-assisted FEL seeding, as well as significant scaling in rep-rate and average power of lasers used for conventional FEL applications. Integral to all such laser applications are the significant challenges of measuring and maintaining the synchronization of lasers to the FEL electron beam and X-ray output with with femtosecond resolution and accuracy. In this seminar I will review the current state of lasers in the operation and science of the LCLS, the projected needs of future FEL light sources, and the technical path towards addressing these requirements.
