Design of A High-Resolution Optical Transition Radiation Imager for the Linac Coherent Light Source Undulator

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS), a free-electron x-ray laser, is under design and construction. Its high-intensity electron beam, 3400 A in peak current and 46 TW in peak power, is concentrated in a small area (37 micrometer in rms radius) inside its undulator. Ten optical transition radiation (OTR) imagers are planned between the undulator segments for characterizing the transverse profiles of the electron beam. In this paper, we present the performance requirements and technical specifications of the OTR imagers. We will discuss in detail the arrangement and modeling of the imaging optics, and the mechanical design and analysis of the compact camera module. Through a unique optical arrangement, this imager will achieve a fine resolution (12 micrometer rms or better) over the entire field of view (10 mm × 5 mm). The compact camera module will fit in the limited space available with remote focus adjustment. A digital camera will be used to read out the beam images in a programmable region (5 mm × 0.5 mm) at the full beam repetition rate (120 Hz), or over the entire field at a lower rate (15 Hz).