What is a free electron laser used for?
While this equipment is bulky and expensive, free-electron lasers can achieve very high peak powers, and the tunability of FELs makes them highly desirable in many disciplines, including chemistry, structure determination of molecules in biology, medical diagnosis, and nondestructive testing.
What is the basic principle of free electron laser?
1 Introduction. Free-Electron Lasers (FEL) based on the principle of Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) [1–4] produce powerful, transversely coherent radiation within a single pass of the electron beam through an undulator.
Is plasma used in lasers?
Laser-produced plasmas are plasmas produced by firing high-intensity beams of light. Laser-produced plasmas have been used to create short bursts of x-rays and to accelerate particles — so-called plasma-based accelerators.
What do you need to know about free electron lasers?
Free-electron lasers require the use of an electron accelerator with its associated shielding, as accelerated electrons can be a radiation hazard if not properly contained. These accelerators are typically powered by klystrons, which require a high-voltage supply.
Who was the inventor of the free electron laser?
The free-electron laser was invented by John Madey in 1971 at Stanford University. The free-electron laser utilizes technology developed by Hans Motz and his coworkers, who built an undulator at Stanford in 1953, using the wiggler magnetic configuration which is one component of a free electron laser.
How are free electron lasers used in protein crystallography?
Researchers have explored free-electron lasers as an alternative to synchrotron light sources that have been the workhorses of protein crystallography and cell biology. Exceptionally bright and fast X-rays can image proteins using x-ray crystallography.
Which is the widest wavelength of a free electron laser?
The free-electron laser is tunable and has the widest frequency range of any laser type, currently ranging in wavelength from microwaves, through terahertz radiation and infrared, to the visible spectrum, ultraviolet, and X-ray. Schematic representation of an undulator, at the core of a free-electron laser.
