Ultrashort electron bunch generation by an energy chirping cell attached rf gun

Abstract

We present a new design for a rf electron gun to be used in ultrashort (∼1ps ) electron bunch generation. Using both simulation and measurement we evaluated the principle of this new type rf gun and were able to confirm an ultrashort bunch generation. During simulation, a bunch length of less than 100 fs(rms) with a 100pC/bunch charge was confirmed at the optimum operating condition. The principle is to produce a linearly distributed longitudinal phase space by using an attached output cell specially designed for energy chirping. Such phase space distribution can be rotated by the velocity difference in the bunch. We already fabricated an energy chirping cell attached rf gun and successfully observed 0.2 THz coherent synchrotron radiation, which corresponds to less than 500 fs bunch. Such an electron gun can be used as a compact THz light source and a new electron injector with an ultrashort bunch.