The smallest electron storage ring for high-intensity far-infrared and hard X-ray productions

Abstract

The status of the world's smallest electron storage ring is reported. This ring is designed to provide coherent far-infrared (FIR) and incoherent hard X-ray emissions from a single 50 MeV storage ring. The FIR emission is forced by a surrounding mirror around the electron orbit. The FIR emission mechanism is rather similar to that of the free-electron laser. The expected FIR output is of the order of 100 W. Bremsstrahlung is used instead of synchrotron radiation to generate hard X-rays. Since electrons recirculate and gain energy from the accelerating cavity, the expected hard X-ray brightness exceeds that of a rotating-anode source by about 1000 times or more.