Segmented terahertz electron accelerator and manipulator (STEAM)

• DOI: 10.1038/s41566-018-0138-z
• Publication Date: 2018-03-29T22:35:37Z
• Authors: Dongfang Zhang; Arya Fallahi; Michael Hemmer; Xiaojun Wu; Moein Fakhari; Yi Hua; Huseyin Cankaya; Anne-Laure Calendron; Luis E. Zapata; Nicholas H. Matlis; Franz X. Kärtner
• Keywords: Accelerator Physics (physics.acc-ph); 0103 physical sciences; FOS: Physical sciences; Physics - Accelerator Physics; info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/530; 530; 01 natural sciences; Article

Acceleration and manipulation of ultrashort electron bunches are the basis behind electron and X-ray devices used for ultrafast, atomic-scale imaging and spectroscopy. Using laser-generated THz drivers enables intrinsic synchronization as well as dramatic gains in field strengths, field gradients and component compactness, leading to shorter electron bunches, higher spatio-temporal resolution and smaller infrastructures. We present a segmented THz electron accelerator and manipulator (STEAM) with extended interaction lengths capable of performing multiple high-field operations on the energy and phase-space of ultrashort bunches with moderate charge. With this single device, powered by few-microjoule, single-cycle, 0.3 THz pulses, we demonstrate record THz-device acceleration of >30 keV, streaking with <10 fs resolution, focusing with >2 kT/m strengths, compression to ~100 fs as well as real-time switching between these modes of operation. The STEAM device demonstrates the feasibility of future THz-based compact electron guns, accelerators, ultrafast electron diffractometers and Free-Electron Lasers with transformative impact.<br/>14 pages, 6 figures<br/>