A measurement of high gain SASE FEL induced electron beam micro-bunching using coherent transition radiation

Coherent transition radiation (CTR) was used to study the longitudinal modulations of an electron beam exiting the UCLA/LANL high gain SASE FEL. The induced longitudinal micro-bunching of the electron beam at the exit of the undulator was measured with a frequency domain technique using the CTR emitted when this beam strikes a thin conducting foil. Formalisms for both CTR and SASE theories are related using the simulation code GINGER in which the SASE FEL gain of the output radiation and the micro-bunching of the electron beam are given. Experimental results from the CTR measurement will show the limit of standard transition radiation theory is being approached and new analysis is needed