Laser-Plasma Free-Electron Laser Achieves Stable High-Gain Operation

Researchers at HZDR and Synchrotron SOLEIL have demonstrated the first stable, reproducible operation of a laser-plasma free-electron laser in the high-gain regime. The system produced ultraviolet pulses at 272 nm, with plasma acceleration cutting the required length by roughly a factor of a thousand.

• UV pulses at 272 nm generated in a stable, reproducible manner
• Plasma cuts accelerator length by about 1000x, from ~2 km to millimeters
• Radiation power rose exponentially, the signature of high-gain operation
• Next goal is extreme ultraviolet light for chip quality control