ON THE POLFEL FREE ELECTRON LASER PROJECT

The fabulous properties of the coherent radiation generated with the free electron lasers (FEL) gained broader perspective on the experimental capabilities in physics, chemistry, biology and medicine. They raise from the nanometer-ranged wavelength, femtosecondranged pulse duration and brightness in the range of 10 29 photons/(s·mrad 2 ·mm 2 ·0.1% bandwidth) accompanied by up to megahertz repetition frequency. Such a light source extends experimental capabilities in spectroscopy, photon counting, imagining, photo-induced material processing and warm dense plasma creation. We propose to settle a high average power VUV FEL facility POLFEL at the Andrzej Soltan Institute for Nuclear Studies in Świerk. POLFEL is planned as a node of the EuroFEL network of complementary facilities, recommended by ESFRI. The great weight of the synchrotron radiation studies in modern science and technology makes us recognize the next, fourth generation light source facility as an instrument which will effectively improve the impact of research being run in Poland. Presented concept benefits from the long and wide experience of Polish scientists and engineers involved in the FEL activities world wide. Here we present an the overview of the general layout of the planned facility, paying a special attention to its novel solutions. The ground breaking feature of POLFEL is a continuous wave (cw) or near-cw operation. It will be achieved with a linear superconducting (sc) accelerator fed with a low emittance sc-electron injector furnished with the thin film sc lead photocathode. There are three outstanding characteristics of the VUV radiation